tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27277172635978124122018-12-17T07:19:48.900-06:00Brass PeregrineVictorian renovation, with a hint of fantasyAndrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-65742414367531680362017-07-07T17:00:00.000-05:002017-07-07T17:00:12.782-05:00A Year In ReviewI know it's been a while since my last blog - over a year! - but do I have some good news for you!<br /><br />The drywall, mentioned last year, is complete, save for one significant piece: the new bathroom. The reason, unfortunately, is due to a misunderstanding. I'm not sure it if was my misunderstanding, or that of the city, but several months ago I called for a plumbing inspection. They realized that I had never actually gotten a plumbing permit, so an inspector came out to inspect the pipes. And, as it turns out, didn't like any of it. In fact, he said that he was going to pull my plumbing permit, and that I would be forced to hire someone else to do the plumbing for me. This was obviously the last thing that I wanted to hear.<br /><br />But, we had to get it done. So, we called around. And called. And called. Of the dozen businesses we contacted, only a single person managed to return our call and send someone out. The gentlemen was nice enough, but the result was a quote for roughly $4,500! All this for 20 feet of pipe! I carefully did that math, and realized that if I were to re-apply for the plumbing permit, tear out all the pipe, and replace it myself, then repeat that another 40 times, I would <i>still</i> come out ahead. It may take a little longer, but at least it would get done. More importantly, I'm pretty sure they wanted that money up front, or at least in a few weeks, and that's not the kind of funds I had access to - especially then!<br /><br />So, I decided to do it myself, again. I tore out the pipes, and after rethinking my design, rebuilt the new bathroom to use the downstairs bathroom's pipes, and the master bathroom to use the existing exit. The next step was testing it; I had been told before that I needed to fill the system with 10 feet of water to test it, so I started filling. And found a leak. In replacing the old pipes, I'd shaken loose some connections. So, I fixed those, reminding myself that I am still paying for far less than someone else doing it. After a second test, the new bathroom was leak-free! Hooray! One down, one to go.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4FH46dW1m8M/WV_L9JiABsI/AAAAAAAADkk/n6D9NJ05TlU4qulie3Y0kEp7XLvPS3b9gCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-03-07%2B21.01.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4FH46dW1m8M/WV_L9JiABsI/AAAAAAAADkk/n6D9NJ05TlU4qulie3Y0kEp7XLvPS3b9gCLcBGAs/s320/2017-03-07%2B21.01.39.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A maze of twisty pipes, all alike?</td></tr></tbody></table>The master bathroom was a little harder to attach, but I still needed both halves done, since the new bathroom shares the master bathroom's vents. Unfortunately, I discovered another leak there. Eventually, I'll get all the plumbing figured out; I've learned quite a lot, including "don't skimp on the solvent, no seriously, drown that sucker."<br /><br />Oh, and that "requirement" for me to get someone else to build it? Yeah. I called the permit office, and they said there was no such requirement. None. In fact, there were no notes on the file at all. So glad I wasted a month and a half working on that, let me tell you...<br /><br />There are, of course, a few more things than plumbing. I needed drywall in the bathroom (waiting on the plumbing to pass so I could install those), cement board in the shower (also waiting on plumbing to pass), tile on the floor (waiting on walls and the laundry hamper), and of course all the stuff in other rooms.<br /><br />As I was working on the plumbing, Lindsay and I also put in some time working on other rooms. The storage room, hereafter referred to as the "little room", is nearly finished! We installed floors, painted the walls, and cut the trim. The trim needs another coat of varnish before it's installed, and the window needs a shim - it's not precisely level. It'll get a fold-up ladder, too, for emergencies.<br /><br />All the rooms, new bathroom and nook included, have working electricity and lights. The windows (apart from the plate-glass one in the hallway) are all installed. The hallway, too, has been mudded, sanded, and painted.<br /><br />The one thing that was holding me back was the plumbing... and it passed! Friday, June 23<sup>rd</sup>, I walked over to the office and requested an inspection; I was able to get one that afternoon, and it passed! And that's when things really started to get crazy...<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y7_qx84pKNo/WV_H-26mRNI/AAAAAAAADj0/inBIaTCsNREtrGZwwii5DfVX4lUkSE8BwCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-06-24%2B17.14.46.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y7_qx84pKNo/WV_H-26mRNI/AAAAAAAADj0/inBIaTCsNREtrGZwwii5DfVX4lUkSE8BwCLcBGAs/s320/2017-06-24%2B17.14.46.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drywall up! (Mirror for fit)</td></tr></tbody></table>Saturday, we cleaned out the bathroom, I installed sheetrock over the plumbing, cut the toilet pipe flush (ha ha), and Lindsay started working on mudding and taping. The boys helped me puts up some protective plastic over the joists.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V3J0_eOeFV4/WV_IRUEcWqI/AAAAAAAADj8/pHWfS9usaucTj383uXYMK7lh3jyuGcwsACLcBGAs/s1600/2017-06-24%2B17.14.58.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V3J0_eOeFV4/WV_IRUEcWqI/AAAAAAAADj8/pHWfS9usaucTj383uXYMK7lh3jyuGcwsACLcBGAs/s320/2017-06-24%2B17.14.58.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drywall again</td></tr></tbody></table><br style="clear: both;" /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1GFrCwqqtnE/WV_IXjiVh0I/AAAAAAAADkA/8uRdCBj5Xd0J33e2yBtVlVk37IEyfOBWQCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-06-25%2B23.33.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1GFrCwqqtnE/WV_IXjiVh0I/AAAAAAAADkA/8uRdCBj5Xd0J33e2yBtVlVk37IEyfOBWQCLcBGAs/s320/2017-06-25%2B23.33.35.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cement board around the tub</td></tr></tbody></table>Sunday, I finished installing sheetrock, and put up the big pieces of cement board.<br /><br />Monday, I installed all the fiddly little pieces of cement board, Lindsay continued mudding, and I went to Lowe's to buy materials.<br /><br />Tuesday, I planned how the laundry hamper would look, added an end-cap to a wall, and swept and taped the floor, then added thinset to seal the cracks. Next I built the bottom frame of the hamper. A friend of ours came by and helped caulk all the cracks, attach some angles, and lay out tile so I knew what to cut. Lindsay finished mudding the boys' room, and moved on to painting.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hUPHEnU5NnQ/WV_IQviUmUI/AAAAAAAADj4/TRMIlH2POBk_YujWyjC67wSFWG3k84nYgCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-06-25%2B23.33.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hUPHEnU5NnQ/WV_IQviUmUI/AAAAAAAADj4/TRMIlH2POBk_YujWyjC67wSFWG3k84nYgCLcBGAs/s320/2017-06-25%2B23.33.26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fiddly cement board being installed</td></tr></tbody></table><br style="clear: both;" /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbNbCfRQxtU/WV_IkdlRtUI/AAAAAAAADkU/f8TiBMlcsOMc5R4KJZ8Kz72nbQ9ybxkVACLcBGAs/s1600/2017-06-25%2B23.33.45.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MbNbCfRQxtU/WV_IkdlRtUI/AAAAAAAADkU/f8TiBMlcsOMc5R4KJZ8Kz72nbQ9ybxkVACLcBGAs/s320/2017-06-25%2B23.33.45.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mudding the last bits of sheetrock</td></tr></tbody></table>Wednesday, I cut tile, and Lindsay mudded in the bathroom. I laid about half of the tile. Lindsay also painted the last bit of wall in the boys' room.<br /><br />Thursday, I helped Lindsay finish up the boys' room by adding curtains, then moving all their stuff upstairs. Huzzah! The room was done! Well, mostly; it needs a little more paint around the edges, and the closets need sheetrock work, and the light needs to be replaced with a light-and-fan.<br /><br style="clear: both;" /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i4fHWC3-W54/WV_H5a1ePbI/AAAAAAAADjs/WiWqPj3XxOAO65mjufyKwocztqwTygHUACLcBGAs/s1600/2017-06-29%2B00.18.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i4fHWC3-W54/WV_H5a1ePbI/AAAAAAAADjs/WiWqPj3XxOAO65mjufyKwocztqwTygHUACLcBGAs/s320/2017-06-29%2B00.18.28.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trying to get the tile straight</td></tr></tbody></table>Friday... Friday was my day off. Which I sorely needed. And I do mean sore. I'd been staying up until 1 AM or later cleaning and getting everything ready for the next day almost every night of the week.<br /><br />Saturday was back to tile; I re-cut a few pieces that I had mis-measured, and with the help of another friend, finished laying the last few pieces. Well, almost the last few pieces. One piece was trod upon by a child, and I didn't realize until the next day. Ugh.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-adjFjhC7zy4/WV_H5Rq84AI/AAAAAAAADjw/1K7eQGGp11okPC0O8MYgjSezWDbsfZeGwCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-06-29%2B00.18.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-adjFjhC7zy4/WV_H5Rq84AI/AAAAAAAADjw/1K7eQGGp11okPC0O8MYgjSezWDbsfZeGwCLcBGAs/s320/2017-06-29%2B00.18.03.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Sunday, I fixed that last piece. I really hope it holds, because I could only wait a couple hours before I had to move on to grouting. Lindsay cleaned the bathroom (again), and I filled all the cracks with grout. As a side note, either I'm doing something really wrong, or grout goes a lot farther than it says on the container; I usually get more than twice the square footage from a bag of grout than it says. Anyway. Grouting is a pain, not because you have to do any hard work, but because you have to walk very carefully. After filling all those lines in, you have to go back and use a sponge to scrape off any excess grout. If the tiles aren't perfectly aligned, you have to do some "creative scrubbing" so it looks right. Then, you have to wait until it dries, then wipe it down again. And again. And again, to get all the haze off the tiles<br /><br />Monday! More mudding and taping, sanding, and general wall-readiness. The ceiling is done except a bit that was skipped, the walls are mostly done, and the tile needs cleaned again. But the walls got primed, mostly, as did the ceiling. We're probably going to have to go back and fix the joints; we were in a rush, and didn't get that last "super nice finish" spread of mud on there. Always something else...<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-36KFO7_CwkA/WV_ImoJVENI/AAAAAAAADkY/5fnrbWVpNI0eMJipY-ceWZ1pc_zjehuIACLcBGAs/s1600/2017-07-05%2B17.26.55.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-36KFO7_CwkA/WV_ImoJVENI/AAAAAAAADkY/5fnrbWVpNI0eMJipY-ceWZ1pc_zjehuIACLcBGAs/s320/2017-07-05%2B17.26.55.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tile, lookin' good!</td></tr></tbody></table>Tuesday, we finally got paint on the walls! I glued in the flange for the toilet (after some careful trimming of the sewage pipe), installed the humidity sensor/fan switch, and with some help in guiding the toilet, installed the toilet! On a roll, I also marked the spot on the wall for the sink, installed it too high, then too low, and finally just right. It's a weird sink to begin with, but I think I got it installed right eventually. Also, we shot off fireworks and nearly ate ourselves into food comas.<br /><br />Wednesday, Lindsay did the second coat of paint, and I installed the water shutoffs. We pulled up the plastic, and scrubbed the floor once again. Tired, but seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, I installed the face plates for the lights and outlets. I also realized that I needed a different size hose for the toilet. The sink, while installed, leaked at the sewage pipe; it's so old, I think it needs replaced. One more thing, right?<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BlPIltnVFVg/WV_IqWdCa4I/AAAAAAAADkc/xbFo4gHCzKcYc5tA5mUDjRHUEMFDWEEqgCLcBGAs/s1600/2017-07-05%2B17.27.09.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BlPIltnVFVg/WV_IqWdCa4I/AAAAAAAADkc/xbFo4gHCzKcYc5tA5mUDjRHUEMFDWEEqgCLcBGAs/s320/2017-07-05%2B17.27.09.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It looks like a real bathroom!</td></tr></tbody></table>Thursday, I bought some grout sealer, then sealed the grout, which is not nearly as hard as it could be. Then again, I wonder if I actually used enough sealer, because the bottle says it covers 200 square feet, but I only used maybe a quarter of it. Whatever. I realized that after a year of sitting in storage, the rubber seals on the toilet had all failed, and I would probably need to replace the works; luckily, the cost of replacing every single seal, the handle, the shutoff float, the flapper, and even the bolts inside only came to $20. In fact, it came in a single package. I didn't even used some of the extra rubber washers, or the leak-test blue die tablets, though I kept all those things for later use.<br /><br />Friday... is my day off again. I mean, I still have my normal job, but there's no work on the house going on. Except for writing this over my lunch break, I guess.<br /><br />However, apart from some fiddly details (a little paint here and there, some edging, and a light over the sink), the bathroom is ready to use! We're going to have a ribbon cutting ceremony. It'll be awesome.<br /><br />The last two weeks have been an enormous leap forward. It's taken me years to get to this point, but now, I can honestly say that things are getting done. There are still a million things to do, of course, but now I can see a way for them to get done. It's an awesome feeling.<br /><br />The little room is useable, though it still needs edging and a bit of work in the closet, some railings on the window, and the vent cover installed. The hallway could use some edging too, and of course the shelves. The bathroom needs edging, paint, and some touch-up work, but especially needs the shower done.<br /><br />Speaking of the shower, I need to rant for a second.<br /><br />I was able to replace the entire inner workings of a toilet for $20. I bought water shutoffs and escutcheons for an entire bathroom for $20. I can buy a bathtub faucet for $13, or a shower head for $6. But why... WHY is it so expensive to replace knobs? Now, if I wanted some of those ugly clear plastic things, I can get a pair for $8. But I don't want those. They are hideous, and a pain to clean. Even the metal ones ($12 for a pair) are pretty terrible. I want something that will last forever without needing more than the gentle spray of shower water to cleanse it. And such things exist; metal knobs that look neat and are heavy duty. Only they are $20 each. <b><i>EACH</i></b>. Why, if I can outfit a bathtub for $20, do the handles cost twice that? I can buy an entire sink fixture for $40. I would be cheaper for me to buy faucets to turn the handles. I... I just don't understand.<br /><br />Ahem. Sorry about that.<br /><br />Anyway. Once those little details are done, it's time to move on to the master bedroom, the dungeon, and the master bathroom, probably in that order. I installed a door betwen the master bedroom and the master bathroom, and it does an excellent job of keeping the rest of the house cool.<br /><br />Hopefully, before this time next year, I can be telling you about how we've moved the master bedroom upstairs. Won't <i>that</i> be nice?Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-55475394570096955382016-04-19T17:00:00.000-05:002016-05-05T16:22:37.530-05:00Drywall, the Continuing SagaNo pictures again, but they'll be coming. Work progresses, but slower than I'd hoped. One expectation is playing out, however: white drywall dust is slowly filtering through my house, carried by small stocking feet that had no business being up there in the first place. Most of the upstairs is coated in a fine layer of dust, except the areas under construction, which are coated in a thick layer of dust. Additionally, I discovered a few areas with more dirt than normal - the tops of doors. More on that later!<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />Unfortunately, I'm running into a fairly major problem with the ceilings: crooked joists. The far west wall, it seems, has nearly an inch difference from 'straight', which means all the joists that I install have the same problem, since I measured from there... which means my perfectly squared sheets of drywall need to be parallelograms. The problem got worse with distance, so the last sheet of drywall in the closet is terrible; I had to do some creative joining just to get it up there. It's not a huge problem once it's done; I'm using 5/8 inch drywall, which is thicker and stronger than 1/2 inch, and 16 inch joist spacing instead of 24 inch. Once it's finished, it'll work just fine. However, thick drywall in a confined space with only one ladder is... well, it's impossible to install alone. I'm immensely grateful to my wife Lindsay for helping me get it all done; I wouldn't have been able to do it without her.<br /><br />The nook ceiling was easiest by far; without a north wall, it meant that I didn't have to measure super carefully, and with a wide expanse of 3/4 inch ceiling board to attach it to, installation was a breeze. Or at least as much of a breeze as holding 50 lbs of drywall above your head can be. Next was the hallway; it still needs a one-foot strip of drywall to be done, but that's no biggie. I'll do that tonight. With only one sheet, it didn't take long to get done. The closet, however, took quite a while, and caused me quite a bit of grief. Still, it's done; I finished it last night. Hooray! The only ceiling left is likely the worst of all, the bathroom. It's similar to the closet, except for the bathtub divider that sticks out. The way the joists are set, I can't put drywall on this side and that side - I'll need to wrap a piece of drywall around it. That will be interesting to maneuver for certain. As terrible as I am at measuring, I just hope I manage it the first try! And, as my last blog mentioned, it uses greenboard, which has some interesting properties of its own.<br /><br />Whenever I finished a piece of the ceiling, I went ahead and worked on the walls next. Walls are easy; you can lean them in place and get a drink of water without worrying about them falling on your head. The nook is a little patchwork in places, but really only because it's a bit of an odd shape. It's missing one piece, opposite the bathtub; I'm leaving that off until I can get the plumbing hooked up and tested. I don't want to have to tear out brand new drywall to fix a silly mistake - or worse, a leak. The closet's closet only needed a couple pieces on one side, though it does need some tiny strips around the door. I'll leave that until the very end, and just use whatever scrap is left. The closet itself wasn't too bad; the studs were the right distance apart, and nothing was too terribly crooked.<br /><br />The hallway, however, needed more than just drywall. What is currently the hallway used to be the outdoor porch, which means the hallway entrance has a door. That door will soon become the closet door, leaving the hallway open. The bathroom is inheriting the old master bathroom door; I'm certainly glad I saved it. It was stuck behind some other scrap, forgotten in a corner; I remembered it last weekend and carefully stuck it in place, after some trial and error. Old doors weren't nearly as nice, frame-wise, as new doors are; they expect a bit more precision. Anyway, all that to say that until I can get the closet door moved, there's not much point in installing drywall in the hall. Once I've moved the door over, I can install drywall on both sides of the closet door, and on the north wall (tiny as it may be) of the hallway. I plan on moving it tonight, as soon as the ceiling bit is done. I expect the top of the door frame to be just as dirty and nasty as the old master bathroom door frame: covered in dust, dirt, leaves, twigs, mud dauber nests, and possibly even other nests (birds, bugs, or rodents. Ugh.). And of course, it's all deposited on my floors. Oh, the adventure that is building!<br /><br />Apart from the bathroom, that just leaves a bunch of thin bits around doorways: over the bathroom door, around both sides of the closet door, on the inside of the hallway doorway, around the closet's closet doorway, over the master bedroom/nook arch, and around the master bathroom sliding door. I'm a little worried, actually; I have some scraps, but I don't know if I have enough to cover everything. I've used my last 4x8 sheet of drywall, which only leaves 1 sheet of ceiling board (I don't really want to use that on a wall), two sheets of 4x10, and a bunch of random scraps.<br /><br />The bathroom, however, has yet to be started, for several reasons. Most obvious, I have to get that sewage inspection before I can install the north wall. Also obvious (if you see it), all the bathroom walls, ceilings, and floors are stacked inside the bathroom, which make moving around in there almost impossible. Now that the closet is done, I can shove all that stuff in there to give me room to work. Less obvious is the fan; I have a really nice humidity fan in there that I need to finish installing because I can do anything with the ceiling, and I have to have that done before I can put in the walls. I suppose I could install the floors any time I want, though I'd like the ceiling in place first. Less messy. Anyway, the vent for the fan is mostly installed; last week, I climbed up to the roof to do that. I chickened out, though. Instead of climbing onto the roof and installing the vent farther back, as I had originally planned, I ended up staying on the ladder and making the hole exactly as far as I could reach. It works just fine, though I do need to go up there again when it's actually light out to make sure I patched all the leaks. I also need to grab a short, insulated, 4" duct to finish the... huh. A thought just occurred to me. My dryer only needs about 2 inches of duct, and it's 4 inches in diameter, I'm pretty sure... I bet I could cut the far-too-long dryer duct in half, and have pieces for both! I have plenty of insulation to wrap it with, too. Savings! Ahem. Sorry. Once I get the duct taped on and ready to go, I can install the ceilings, then the south, west, and east walls, leaving the north wall unfinished until after the sewage check. I just got the last piece I needed for that, too, so I should be able to rig that up and get it inspected this week.<br /><br />Meanwhile, as it stands, I am missing two things: flooring, and a sliding door kit - or rather, a sliding door rail kit. Once I have those, I'll have everything I need to finish this addition... or at least, finish it enough to get the final inspection. There will be paint, trim, and a plethora of other minor details left, but once I get the final inspection, I don't have to worry about deadlines!Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-90701290321304866652016-04-08T17:00:00.000-05:002016-05-05T16:23:26.196-05:00Drywallin'As mentioned in my last post, I've been working on installing <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drywall">drywall</a> (also known as gypsum board, Gyprock, Sheetrock, wallboard, or plasterboard). Drywall is basically a big rectangle of paper-coated plaster-and-fibers; great for walls and ceilings alike. However, like everything else in construction, it has its foibles.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />First, drywall comes in several thicknesses. You don't want the really thin stuff, or it'll warp and sag; you also don't want the super-thick stuff, because it's freaking heavy, and generally more expensive. Walls should have 1/2", unless you have a reason to go bigger (fireproofing, for instance). Ceilings should probably stick with 5/8", unless your stubs are really close together. In wet environments like a bathroom, you'll want to use greenboard - drywall with a green paper that repels water.<br /><br />Anyway.<br /><br />Putting up walls is easy. Measure how tall the wall is, cut the drywall to match, and you're done. If you are lucky enough to have a ceiling that's 8, 10, or 12 feet tall, you can get drywall that exactly matches the height; if you have 16 or 24 inches between centers on your studs, you don't even have to cut anything, just slap it up there. Of course, in my case, I have all sorts of various distances between studs, which means I need to cut most of the boards to fit. Still, it's not so bad; measure twice, cut once, and all that.<br /><br />Ceilings, on the other hand, are much harder. Again, if you have a standard sized room, then ceilings aren't so bad; however, if the distance between studs isn't just right, then you're not going to have a good time. The distance between studs in my ceiling aren't exactly straight. No ones fault in particular; it's really hard to make anything straight when all the walls are crooked. But really, that's not the hardest part of putting up a ceiling. See, when you put up a wall, as long as it's measured and cut correctly, you just hold it against the wall with one hand (or even stuff a board under it to hold it off the ground, if you need to), and put in two or three screws. That's enough to keep it from moving around. Ceilings, even measured and cut perfectly, take a lot more effort. They're heavy - as mentioned above, 5/8" thick instead of 1/2". And gravity is working against you; I can't simply lean a piece of drywall against the studs. I need a helper to assist me in lifting it into place, then brace it with a custom drywall-holding-board I made. Then (on a ladder, over my head) I put in at least five screws, one on each corner and one somewhere near the middle. Even then, it may pop out of place and smack me on the head. It's not really safe until it's been filled with a fairly large number of screws.<br /><br />There are a few more tricks, too. You want your walls to be as close to the ceiling as possible - they will support the ceiling and keep it from sagging. That also means you should put in ceilings first. You also want to stagger wall and ceiling seams; with two seams right next to each other, it's more likely to get cracks.<br /><br />Greenboard is not quite as strong as normal drywall. Ceilings set on studs 24 inches apart tend to start drooping over time, it seems; for 1/2" greenboard, you need studs that are only a foot apart, while for 5/8" greenboard, you need 16 inches. That's what I have - 5/8" greenboard, on studs 16 inches apart. Well... close, anyway. Parts of it are much less than 16". Regardless, it's a good idea to caulk any gaps between surfaces that might get wet, and paint them with gloss or semi-gloss paint, designed for wet areas (like bathrooms).<br /><br />At the time of this blog, I've finished the ceiling in the nook, all but a sliver of ceiling in the hallway, and half the ceiling in the closet, as well as most of the nook walls, a third of the closet walls, and a thin slice of the hallway wall. Walls are much easier. I expect to be done with the closet and hall ceilings by tomorrow, and hopefully the bathroom ceiling by the end of next week.<br /><br />If I can buy a door for the bathroom tomorrow, then I'll be able to move the closet door, which means I'll be able to install the doorway drywall as well.Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-9337777724957550572016-03-29T15:52:00.001-05:002016-04-08T13:26:19.370-05:00Inspection Take Two: Passed! On to Drywall!After much consternation, I've finally passed inspection; there are exactly two inspections remaining: the sewage top-up test, and the final, everything-is-installed inspection. That means that I can start putting up drywall, laying floors, and generally getting things done. Of course, like everything else, it's not quite as simple as just slapping everything up and stepping back with a satisfied grin. Someday, maybe.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />First, I need to take down the door that's currently in the hall, and move it to the closet (sans trim, of course). I may also put a board over the window, for safety's sake.<br /><br />Second, the north walls get drywall, in every room but the bathroom. The bathroom just gets a temporary board, nailed in place. The north wall is the "tall" wall; once in place, it'll act as a lip to hold the ceiling. Once I measure and cut the ceilings, I'll lift them onto the top of the drywall, push the other end into place, and brace it with a board. With the drywall securely held in place, I can screw it in without worrying about it falling on my head.<br /><br />Which is third: ceilings. The hardest part of any drywall attempt. That's the part I'll need help with, for certain.<br /><br />Fourth, the rest of the walls. Once the ceilings are in place, I can move on to installing the other walls, cutting them so they are right up against the ceiling. Even if you want to install molding at the top of the wall (which would cover a gap), it's a good idea to have the drywall right up to the ceiling. Walls don't have anywhere to go, but ceilings have a tendency to sag downward; with the walls directly supporting it, the drywall won't sag. Unless it gets wet, or something, in which case you have other problems. I'll have to get a door for the bathroom before I can drywall that bit, but that's not hard (or expensive - <a href="http://www.longviewhabitat.org/#!restore/c1za" target="_blank">ReStore</a> for the win!).<br /><br />Somewhere in this process is the sewage inspection, pain that it is. I have a few leads on where I can get some test equipment, hopefully cheaper than ordering it online...<br /><br />Fifth is the north wall on the bathroom, and all the cement board. There is a lot of cement board, but I have a very specific plan for it, detailed down to the last half inch. I shouldn't have much in the way of leftovers when I'm done. I'll cut it all, lay it out to make sure everything fits, then start screwing it in. The only fiddly bit is the shower - I will have to be super-extra-careful to drill the holes for the tub in exactly the right place!<br /><br />Sixth, and the last step for walls, is to caulk all the joints in the bathroom and mud, tape, and sand every last bit of drywall. So much dust... it's worth it, though. Or at least that's what I keep telling myself. I might paint the walls before I do the floors; I haven't decided.<br /><br />Speaking of floors, that's the last thing that needs to be done before final inspection. I'm in a bit of a quandary because of materials. The bathroom will be tiled; no worry there. I know of several places to get all kinds of tiles. The other floors... I'm not sure about. I need wood, and I don't have the right kind. I really don't want to make a floor out of #2 yellow pine. At best it will be ugly, and at worst it will be fragile and warped. Not qualities I'm looking for in a floor. Since the boards only need to be between 3 and 6 feet long (and I could work with shorter), I can probably managed with a bunch of factory seconds; the only question is from where. If I buy a router table, I could even cut the wood and make the tongue-and-groove joints myself; I just don't know where to get the wood. I'd prefer heartwood pine, but that's a bit hard to find these days. And I'm not exactly looking to cut and plane wood from a tree... maybe if I had a log that had already cured, but that's going to be hard to find.<br /><br />I plan on finishing the nook first, so that room can actually be a room. The bathroom is going to be done last, simply because tiling the floors and the walls is going to be a very long task. Somewhere in all that, I'll install the vents, windows, trim, molding, and the stuff in the fancy closet (you'll see).<br /><br />There's a lot to do; in fact, it may look as if the list is actually growing longer. The reason for that is that there are fewer things to do, so I can go into more detail about what needs to happen. What used to be "finish nook" is now "Install drywall, mud and tape, paint, install underlay and flooring, install trim around doors and window, install molding on floor..." Which is longer, but much more detailed. And once I get the things on that list crossed off, they're done for good!Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-41568480502283682032016-03-25T11:42:00.000-05:002016-03-29T15:32:47.249-05:00Take Two: Insulation<div dir="ltr">Last week, I finished hanging the last of the insulation at 4 AM. Tired but hopeful, I feel asleep... only to have my hopes and dreams dashed less than 12 hours later, when I failed inspection because I didn't have the right insulation. But not this week! This week is different! For two reasons, in fact. First, I finished the insulation quite a bit earlier, at 11:30 PM; hanging insulation on the wall is actually pretty easy, and I didn't touch the stuff stapled to the ceiling (more on that later). Second, and much more disappointing, I'm not going to have an inspection today, because it's Good Friday.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">I must admit, I'm a little bitter about the whole Good Friday thing. On the one hand, I would really like to get the inspection over with. My weekend is well-booked, so I probably couldn't work on drywall even if I wanted to, but I prefer getting things done, rather than having them hang over your head. On the other hand, the company I work for, bless its poorly-managed heart, doesn't put much stock in these new-fangled "holidays", which means I only get a handful of days off, and Good Friday isn't one of them. Instead of getting an inspection, or even getting a day off, I'm stuck at work. Holidays mean a lot less when you're not allowed to celebrate them.<br /><a name='more'></a></div><div dir="ltr">But enough moaning and complaining. At least I can confidently say that I've gotten the correct insulation this time. As noted above, I replaced all the outside walls' R11 insulation with R13 insulation. Walls are fast; for most of them, you just stuff the insulation between the studs and staple the little fold-out tabs. The few studs that are a bit thinner than average only add a minute or two to slice off the extra insulation. I got most of the walls done Wednesday, both tearing down the old stuff and installing the new: all but four pieces, done in about 3 hours. I even put up some of the R11 around the non-exterior walls of the bathroom. In fact, I wasn't even tired afterward!</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">Yesterday, however, was a bit more of a challenge. The last four pieces were a breeze, of course... but ceilings? Ceilings are a different beast entirely. Instead of holding your arms in a natural position in front of yourself as the insulation naturally hangs down, you have to lift your arms far above your head, pressing upward to staple anything, and the insulation doesn't want to stay up. Two staples at the top can hold a piece of insulation to the wall, but you have to go staple-by-staple on the ceiling, dragging insulation across your head, trying to keep it out of your eyes. Even cutting it to fit is harder; on a wall, just hold up the insulation, mark it, and trim away. On the ceiling, you have to add "hauling it up and down a ladder" to that. And in my case, "uneven studs".</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">So, I left the R11 on the ceilings. It would have been as hard to remove the ceiling insulation as it was to install the wall insulation... as I still would have had to put new ceiling insulation in. If I had to add insulation to the top of the ceiling anyway, I might as well skip taking the 'bad' stuff down, and just add to it. Luckily, R11 + R19 = R30, which is what I need for the ceilings. Still, it was no walk in the park. The space between the roof and the ceiling goes from about 6 inches on the south (exterior) edge to about 16 inches on the north (interior) edge. Not counting joists, of course. The ceiling is held up with 2x4s on their sides, removing 1 1/2 inches every three feet. The roof is supported by 2x4s placed upright, removing a further 3 1/2 inches of space. That leaves a meager 11 inches at its widest. My head, complete with breathing mask, is ever so slightly less than that, but I can wiggle it through. My shoulders, however, are wide enough that the slope of the roof makes the space too small for me to actually crawl in - if I get my right shoulder in place, I can't get my head in. There's enough space for one of my kids to crawl through, but there is a staggering amount of nails, dust, and desiccated droppings up there, never mind that he'd have to shove a bunch of insulation ahead of him. It just wasn't safe. Instead, after some brainstorming, I used a really long, thin board to lift and shove insulation down widest part of the passage, then shove it over to where it needed to be. That filled it about half way - into the hallway, but not over the closet. At that point, the ducts that I'd installed were getting in the way, and my board had reached its limit. Luckily, there is a gap next to the chimney, the same gap I ran the vent through. While that space was a lot tighter, I still managed to jam enough insulation in to cover the rest of the ceiling. It's not pretty, it's not clean, and it's definitely not ideal, but it's sure a whole lot better than needing to rip down the entire ceiling, boards and all!</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">The nook was far easier. There are no ceiling studs on the bottom, which meant no R11, which meant I couldn't use the 5 1/2 thick R19. Instead, I used 10 inch thick R30 insulation; however, since it wasn't trying to shove it 30 feet across joists through an 11 inch hole, it was quite easy to install. I didn't even have to staple it. I had to trim a few pieces to get it to fit snugly, but I'll bet that the nook is the best insulated part of the ceiling.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">Some statistics:</div><div dir="ltr">4 bags of R11 (about half needs to be re-purposed as sound-proofing); 1 full bag remaining</div><div dir="ltr">1 3/4 bags of R13, 1 1/4 remaining (the leftovers will be used in the master bathroom/closet)</div><div dir="ltr">1 1/2 bags of R19 insulation (the leftovers will get stuffed under floors)</div><div dir="ltr">3/4 bag of R30 insulation (the rest goes over the master bathroom)</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">Oh, and apologies for there being no pictures this time around; Lindsay took several pictures, but they seem to have vanished. Oh well. Just picture my backside hanging out of the ceiling; that's basically the view. Otherwise, the walls look just like they did before, except it says R13 instead of R11. Lesson learned there, eh?</div>Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-47441437017543770532016-03-19T16:26:00.001-05:002016-03-29T15:32:32.543-05:00Disappointment<div dir="ltr">Well, I got the inspection yesterday. It was a bit of a problem getting it at all - I had asked for a call ahead, but the inspection office neglected to pass that along. So, I missed the inspection, because I wasn't home. After waiting a while, I called the office, who verified that I did indeed have an inspection, and gave me the inspector's number. I then called him, and got everything straightened out. Whew!</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">And then... disaster. All that insulation I put in? Wrong. Yep. Off by an R value of 2, which is something like a Styrofoam cup. Which means all the insulation on the walls has to go. Worse is the ceiling; any ceiling must have insulation with an R value of 30. I used the same as the walls, so... yeah. No go.</div><a name='more'></a><br /><div dir="ltr">The walls will need thicker insulation, bar none. It's just the way it had to be. No saving that. The ceiling, though, has a ray of hope. [Warning: electrical engineering math] See, insulation is like a resistor. In an electrical circuit, resistors in series (end-to-end) add together, because the current is limited by both. With resistors in parallel (ends tired together), the current has two paths to travel, so the actual resistance is lower. Insulation behaves the same way. If you stack R11 and R29 together, you get R30. Does that number sound familiar? It should! Because that's what I need in the ceiling. I have R11 stapled up right now; I have a bunch of R29 insulation just waiting for a home. Technically, it was supposed to go under the rooms, between floor joists, but instead, it's going to go on top of the ceiling. That's going to take some wrangling, but I'll make it work. Yeah, I need to replace the insulation on the walls. But, with the ceiling insulation needing to be R30, I wouldn't have passed anyway.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">So, as disappointing as this setback is, I'm not giving up. It sets me back a week and about $100 and more itching, stabbing, painful insulation installation... but what needs to happen, needs to happen. Onward!</div>Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-38455051898102808872016-03-18T13:09:00.001-05:002016-03-29T15:32:03.100-05:00Insulation: Death By One Thousand Tiny Stab Wounds<div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UX--7zqeS8c/VupPGWGaTLI/AAAAAAAABrM/vEhgMqH86C4/s400/image-20160316_090055.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grabbing the insulation and the first load of drywall</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UX--7zqeS8c/VupPGWGaTLI/AAAAAAAABrM/vEhgMqH86C4/s1600/image-20160316_090055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wDxBvxV4n0g/VupPHxqETkI/AAAAAAAABrQ/hGn-nKz1dZQ/s400/image-20160316_090530.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Up, Up, and Away!</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wDxBvxV4n0g/VupPHxqETkI/AAAAAAAABrQ/hGn-nKz1dZQ/s1600/image-20160316_090530.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a> </div>This has been an eventful week. Monday, as previously mentioned, I got my inspection. Tuesday, I ordered my drywall, insulation, and cement board from a local supply company; it cost $716. According to my figures, if I bought all that from Lowe's or Home Depot, it would have cost closer to $1126, counting the delivery fee. And the cement board at Lowe's is 3' x 6' instead of 4' x 8', which means way more scrap, and the bags of insulation is only available multiples of 5 (I needed 6 of one and 1 of another). Oh, and delivery was free. And not only free - they lifted it up to my second floor for me!<br />It began fairly early in the morning; I got up and got ready to unload a bunch of drywall. And waited. And waited. And... waited. Eventually, tired of waiting and late for work, I called to ask them to reschedule for lunch time; however, the truck had just left. Sure, ok, that's fine. I'd rather have it than not.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><div><div style="float: left; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ny87Fj-cxaY/VupPI96y0CI/AAAAAAAABrU/x7V7gnY8NW4/s400/image-20160316_091102.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="225" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enter the Drywall</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ny87Fj-cxaY/VupPI96y0CI/AAAAAAAABrU/x7V7gnY8NW4/s1600/image-20160316_091102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BsHxteF143I/VupPJk_pCYI/AAAAAAAABrY/gGJe1hGCN0s/s400/image-20160316_224313.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Insulation: Round One: Complete!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sIZl8DF9GK4/VupPKpjvupI/AAAAAAAABrc/N40yIq7O2gQ/s400/image-20160316_224347.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walls are easy. Ceilings... not so much.</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BsHxteF143I/VupPJk_pCYI/AAAAAAAABrY/gGJe1hGCN0s/s1600/image-20160316_224313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-sIZl8DF9GK4/VupPKpjvupI/AAAAAAAABrc/N40yIq7O2gQ/s1600/image-20160316_224347.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a></div>It took quite a bit of maneuvering to get the rather large truck to where it was supposed to go - close enough to the deck to load it into the house. Unfortunately, it was too long to fit into the driveway. After a bit of back-and-forth, we eventually managed to get it into the side yard, close enough it could reach the windows.<br /><div style="clear: left; float: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cj0gMtaKAZY/Vuwnwvt2YVI/AAAAAAAABtU/5XkjcPNMBAs/s1600/20160318_033801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cj0gMtaKAZY/Vuwnwvt2YVI/AAAAAAAABtU/5XkjcPNMBAs/s400/20160318_033801.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bathroom</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="clear: right; float: right;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HwXh4jZ0ElA/Vuwn0otCVhI/AAAAAAAABtY/SDY7_olQ1F8/s1600/20160318_033812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HwXh4jZ0ElA/Vuwn0otCVhI/AAAAAAAABtY/SDY7_olQ1F8/s400/20160318_033812.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bathroom wall</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="clear: left; float: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t_KoNzzHEaM/VuxAg8ag4BI/AAAAAAAABvA/u0xTuodGZKY/s1600/20160318_033826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t_KoNzzHEaM/VuxAg8ag4BI/AAAAAAAABvA/u0xTuodGZKY/s400/20160318_033826.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hall Ceiling</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="clear: right; float: right;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8KpwyPSS1pM/VuxAh1PKjdI/AAAAAAAABvE/pJdKlAU0IRY/s1600/20160318_033847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8KpwyPSS1pM/VuxAh1PKjdI/AAAAAAAABvE/pJdKlAU0IRY/s400/20160318_033847.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nook (Master Bedroom Extension)</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="clear: left; float: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SXMXnvo3JZ4/VuxAiwcdSaI/AAAAAAAABvI/dHYiE7IwBNg/s1600/image-20160317_220032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-SXMXnvo3JZ4/VuxAiwcdSaI/AAAAAAAABvI/dHYiE7IwBNg/s400/image-20160317_220032.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closet</td></tr></tbody></table></div>Now, my receipt kindly lists the total weight of the goods I purchased as 2,960 pounds. That's just under a ton and a half. There is <i>no way</i> I could have hauled that in my car, or even a truck. Worse, I would have had to carry every piece upstairs. What a nightmare! I'd still be struggling to lift them, and I'd probably end up breaking one or more pieces.<br />Instead? I watched two professionals use a remote to load a huge pneumatic lift arm and swing it to the second floor window. Now <i>that's</i> what I call a good deal.<br /><br />Once the material was unloaded, I went back to my day job. After a long day at work, I... went to work. Now, if you've never worked with insulation, I feel I need to explain what that experience is like. Insulation is made of spun glass; fluffy bundles of paper-backed needles. If you so much as touch a single cotton-candy-like fluff, all those sharp shards of glass stab into your skin - a billion splinters at a touch. Glass splinters. Stabbing, invisible, horrible glass splinters. You can't rub the sweat out of your eyes, for fear of transferring some glass. No matter how much clothing you wear, you'll always end up itchy and uncomfortable. It's... not a terribly pleasant experience.<br />Even so, by Wednesday evening, I finished the closet walls and half the ceiling, plus about a third of the nook walls and all the hallway walls. That's just over half the wall space, and about a quarter of the ceiling. Regardless of progress, I absolutely had to finish it Thursday evening. Otherwise, I would have to wait until Monday to get the inspection, meaning my entire weekend would be wasted. With that in mind, I kept at it, stapling away at the stabby fluffy mess. I'm pleased to report that I survived, and that I finished every wall and ceiling! I didn't have time to stuff insulation into all the gaps under the floor, but that's not part of the inspection, so I can afford to wait until I've slept.<br /><br />I did run into a snag with the inspection on Monday; I need to do a fill test of my sewage lines. I didn't plan for that, which leaves me scrambling to get equipment to run the test. I have to replace a couple sections of pipe, too; wish I would have known about it earlier. I also need to figure out where to get plumbing test equipment. All told, this test is going to cost about $150, with parts and equipment. Sigh... oh well.<br />Luckily, even without the drain/vent leak inspection, I can get everything but the bathroom wall drywalled, so I don't have to wait for it. Good thing too, because I'm going to have to order some of the equipment.<br />I've got a lot more to do; hooking the AC vents up to the main system, mudding and sanding, installing cement board on the bathroom floor, tiling, installing wood flooring in the hall, closet, and nook, painting, adding trim, installing electrical outlets, switches, fixtures, and fans... the list goes on. I'm happy with the progress, though; all my hard work is paying off!Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-63035236352310332382016-03-18T04:22:00.001-05:002016-03-29T15:31:42.410-05:00Project Insulation: Success<div dir="ltr">It's four in the morning. My arms itch from fiberglass; my eyes droop from tiredness; my feet hurt from standing on the ladder; my head hurts from the dust; my arms hurt from being held over my head for hours on end. I've listened to every single Switchfoot, Newsboys, Jars of Clay, and dc Talk song I own at least once. All things considered, this has been like a second job the past two days. I've put in over 16 hours stapling up insulation, 9 of them tonight.</div><div dir="ltr">Anyway, I'm going to sleep for a couple hours before I go to my paying job. And in the morning, I'll have the insulation inspected, and be able to put up drywall! But not tomorrow. Tomorrow, I'm going to sleep. After work. No rest for the weary...<br /><a name='more'></a></div><div style="margin-left: 0 auto;"><div style="float: left; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-46jkLIuEsh4/VuvIxif255I/AAAAAAAABsc/Suext4jUH4Y/s640/20160318_033847.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="280" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Nook</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-46jkLIuEsh4/VuvIxif255I/AAAAAAAABsc/Suext4jUH4Y/s1600/20160318_033847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin: 1em;"> </a> </div><div style="float: left; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4BkvSd6vOp4/VuvIyjOo9rI/AAAAAAAABsg/bNsWPe7_dkw/s320/20160318_033801.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="280" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bathroom Ceiling</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4BkvSd6vOp4/VuvIyjOo9rI/AAAAAAAABsg/bNsWPe7_dkw/s1600/20160318_033801.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin: 1em;"> </a> </div><div style="float: left; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gE4mgqdiUJQ/VuvIzm-rtjI/AAAAAAAABsk/LdKkS1GPgnQ/s320/20160318_033826.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="280" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hallway Ceiling</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-gE4mgqdiUJQ/VuvIzm-rtjI/AAAAAAAABsk/LdKkS1GPgnQ/s1600/20160318_033826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin: 1em;"> </a> </div><div style="float: left; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Je6LoJ8Cmmw/VuvI0nit9LI/AAAAAAAABso/c7G4DGTvh0M/s200/image-20160316_224313.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="280" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Closet walls</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Je6LoJ8Cmmw/VuvI0nit9LI/AAAAAAAABso/c7G4DGTvh0M/s1600/image-20160316_224313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin: 1em;"> </a> </div></div>Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-22463567378921801942016-03-14T12:00:00.000-05:002016-03-29T15:31:31.887-05:00Winnie the Pooh (and) Happy Pi Day!In one of my favorite stories about Winnie the Pooh, the titular bear visits Rabbit and ends up eating all of his honey. On attempting to exit, the silly ol' bear manages to get himself stuck halfway out the front door. The attempted extraction fails, as does any attempt to return him to the interior. Rabbit is stuck with using Pooh's feet at towel hangers and exiting through the back door while Pooh slims down. The bear, of course, is anxious to know how long it will take; Eeyore replies, "Days. Weeks. Months. Who knows."<br /><br />"And then, one morning, when Rabbit was beginning to think he might never be able to use his front door again, it happened!" After interminable days of waiting, Winnie the Pooh finally moves. Rabbit is ecstatic, calling, "Christopher Rabin! Uh, uh, Crostopher Robin! He bidged! He badged! He booged! <i>Today's the day!"</i><br /><a name='more'></a><br />I may not have had an overweight Pooh-bear stuck in my front door, but I absolutely understand Rabbit's consternation. After "day, weeks, months..." (though not quite years), I finally finished everything. Or at least, everything enough to get my inspection for framing, electrical, and plumbing. And it passed! Huzzah! I am, understandably, and also understatedly, quite pleased. This has been a long time coming, and while there is still quite a lot of work left to do, this was a major milestone, and does great things for my confidence in my work. In fact, the inspector commented that the siding and windows looked as if it were part of the original house, rather than transferred from inside. The plumber, meanwhile, was quite happy with my work, and that he didn't have any tips for me, because everything was just fine. Both said that I'd done good, solid work.<br /><br />Whew!<br /><br />As I mentioned, that's not the last of it; I need three more inspections: a sewage inspection, whereby I fill the entire system with water to make sure nothing leaks; an insulation inspection; and a final inspection, after all the drywall, flooring, tile, mud, fixtures, and appliances have been put in. Tonight, I'm going to order insulation and drywall (or possibly tomorrow afternoon, I'm not sure when the business closes for the evening); I'll also get the caps and such I need to fill up the sewage pipes. More work, but it's forward progress!<br /><br />At the end of that story, by the way, Winnie the Pooh dresses up as a rain cloud and gets stuck in the honey tree, which is where he wanted to be all along. I hope that I, too, can end up where I want to be, though my problem is more raccoon than honey bee...Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-27202394674360425122016-02-29T17:15:00.000-06:002016-03-29T15:31:03.807-05:00An Inspector Walks Into a Bar...And refuses to sign off on such a safety hazard, forcing the owner to redesign his plumbing.<br /><br />While that joke doesn't have anything to do with my work (I hope!), there is an old joke about a scientist and an artist that actually does:<br /><br />A beautiful woman stands at the end of a long room. However, the only way to reach her is by travelling half-distances, once per minute. The artist quickly crosses half the room; as he waits for the next minute, the scientist calls after him, "Hey, you can never actually touch her; why bother?" The artist calls back, "Ah, but eventually, I'll get close enough!"<br /><a name='more'></a><br />That's basically what this week has been. I've gotten a lot done:<br /><br /><ul><li>I put up the last of the fire blocks (horizontal wooden blocks inside the stud cavity, to slow possible fire), headers (at the top of the stud cavity, to attach the drywall to), and footers (at the bottom, for drywall and/or to fill holes).</li><li>I finished installing the supports for the master bedroom/nook header, including nailing a bunch of heavy duty plates on, to keep it from slipping or shifting.</li><li>I replaced the upstairs entry light switch and moved the stair light switch to actually be next to the stairs (which is a lot bigger deal than it seems; it used to be <i>underneath </i>the stairs).</li><li>I even hired someone to cut all my hedges and haul away the trees and trash that I've built up over the last year or so (which may not have to do with construction, but it sure makes my wife happy!).</li></ul><br />So much done... and yet, still so much to do. Sigh.<br /><br />When I was replacing the wiring for the switches, I realized I still needed to replace the wiring for the deck floodlight... which I started, but didn't complete because I need two right-angle conduits. I also noticed that I hadn't put in trim over the three big windows, which means climbing up and down ladders - today's project. I forgot to install the plugs on the plumbing for the master bathroom (the master bathroom is the next project, which will happen concurrently with the kitchen), and will need to get those in place before testing anything. I still need to clean and caulk 3 out of 4 rooms, which is probably the highest priority at this point. Oh, and I need to move a bunch of boards out of the storage area, or they'll never leave, because once I put in the drywall, I won't actually be able to get them out.<br /><br />When I started this project, I felt like the artist. I may never reach perfection, but hey, art is never finished, only abandoned; I didn't need perfect, just good enough. Ah, the hopeful optimism of inexperience. These days, I'm starting to feel more like the scientist. I run the math, and end up proving that I'm never actually going to be done. It's a little disheartening. Don't get me wrong; I'm not going to stop. That's not how I roll. I might get overloaded and stressed, but I always find a way around the problem. Eventually.<br /><br />Which leads me back to the joke. Being me, I usually add a third character: an engineer. While the scientist and the artist are talking, the engineer casually strolls to the end of the room, takes the hand of the beautiful woman, and begins walking out. The other two &nbsp;are outraged: "Hey, you broke the rules!"<br />The engineer shrugs. "What? Don't worry, I'll do the math later!"<br /><br />I expect to call the inspector this week, even if I haven't finished everything. I'd rather have a list of things to fix than spend weeks obsessing over things that may not actually matter. Like the engineer in the joke... I'll do the math later.<br /><br />(Rounding error jokes aside, I also have some pictures to add; I'll do that later this evening)Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-17173259509981530542016-02-14T14:00:00.000-06:002016-03-29T15:30:50.748-05:00So Close I Can Taste It (or) Bleh Pah Ptoo Cough Yuck SawduskIt's been another productive week here; not only did I finish the last of the wiring (hurray!), I also built the header for the nook. While the nook has a lot of obviously positive additions to the master bedroom, it also has a glaring down side: the wall between it and the master bedroom is a load bearing wall. Removing a good 8 feet of space can cause some serious problems; nobody wants their roof to fall down because they did something stupid. Well, I don't, anyway. I guess I don't speak for everyone.<br /><br />But before I get to that, I have a few other things on the done list. I finished the very last bit of siding waaaaaay up there, which is a huge relief. I still need to caulk nail holes and gaps, and get some paint on everything, but the actual siding work is done. Whew. It certainly took long enough!<br /><a name='more'></a><br />As for the bits I need to finish to get the inspection, the electrical work is entirely complete, including affixing the wires to the wall. The plumbing is entirely complete (except for one board that I need to be able to hold some pipes). I've installed the vents and duct for the HVAC (which was a literal pain; I dropped a hammer on my head and bled on things). Electrical, plumbing, ducts... Pop quiz: what does that leave?<br /><br />C'mon, hazard a guess. Guessing is good for you.<br /><br />If you guessed "framing", you're right! Hurray! And the only piece of that left to do (apart from a header or two I realized was missing, including the headers over the two doors) is the nook entrance, as mentioned above. After many more hours of research than I expected, I finally found a <a href="http://www.southernpine.com/app/uploads/SS_13-14L.pdf" target="_blank">guide to header sizes</a> based on what the house is shaped like. For an 8 foot gap, the correct size is two 2x10s, sistered together (that means, side by side). Technically, the gap is a bit smaller; I probably could have safely used a single 2x10, or even two 2x6s, but I decided for overkill rather than regret.<br /><br />So, right now, there are two 2x10s, glued and nailed, ready to become a header. I've nailed up boards for the header to rest on, and measured where I want all the boards to go. All that's left is to brace the roof, chop out a 2x4 and a 4x4, install the header, some short boards between the roof and the header, and... I'm ready for the inspection!<br /><br />I have to admit, I'm a little freaked out. As I mentioned previously, I've never had to deal with a building permit. From what I've read online, inspections range from a super easy, "Yep, nothing seems to be falling apart, you're good to go," to a frustratingly difficult, "I see you did not follow the letter of this specific, obtuse, and poorly worded suggestion! You fail, sir! Good day, sir!"<br /><br />There are enough quirks and foibles of the house already, the line between work I've done and work that some other idiot has done is beyond blurred. There are a few things that I fixed a while back (spiderweb wiring ball, anyone?) that aren't exactly to code, since what they connect to isn't to code, but I don't have the time, money, or energy to completely fix everything. I'm not sure how deep the inspection is.<br /><br />Assuming I pass the inspection, the next step is all brawn, no brains: installing insulation and hanging sheet rock. All the outside walls need insulation, and dozens of sheets of drywall need to be hung on the ceiling and walls. Hard work, but not that difficult. Not that expensive, either; Lowe's is my go-to store for supplies, but I've found a place that not only sells drywall and insulation much cheaper than Lowe's, they also do free delivery, including carrying it upstairs for me! WIN!<br /><br />So, wish me luck in the upcoming week. I'm going to need it!Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-39036542844171536542016-01-27T18:00:00.000-06:002016-03-29T15:30:38.465-05:00Electric BugabooLast weekend, I shut off power to the entire house to install two breakers. I also ended up removing four unused breakers, and realized how <i>mind-bogglingly terrible</i> the wiring in my house really is. You don't really get a good feel for that until you've seen that someone put a (bare) ground wire over the two voltage rails (240 V between them), instead of wiring it into the block <i>an inch from where it entered the box</i>. Interesting times, indeed. Once I've finished the existing rooms, I'm going to rewire the entire house. There are just too many things wrong with it to let the existing wiring stand.<br /><br />The electrical work was frustrating, though not because it was hard work (though it was), bad wiring (though it <i>really</i> was). No, it's frustrating because of rules... and cost.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />Before 2008, the National Electrical Code required the installation of GFCI outlets within 6 feet of sinks in bathrooms or kitchens. That makes perfect sense; GFCI (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupt) outlets are designed to turn off if it notices that electrical current isn't coming in on one wire and leaving on the other. Usually what is happening is that the current is coming in from the "hot" wire, then travelling through something else to the physical earth. Often, that something else is water. So, it makes perfect sense for a GFCI outlet to be required in kitchens and bathrooms. It also didn't require AFCI outlets at all; AFCI (Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupt) circuits are designed to shut off if there is an arc (aka spark) between two wires - that's usually how electrical fires start. Of course, AFCI also trip if your fridge, microwave, or other appliance (or tool) starts up with a high burst of energy...<br /><br />In 2008, the NEX changed, now requiring GFCI outlets in all outdoor locations, as well as expanding the requirement for GFCI near any sinks, even if they weren't in the kitchen or bathroom. It also added the requirement that all circuits had to be protected by AFCI, except those already protected by GFCI.<br /><br />In 2014, the NEC changed again, now requiring GFCI in laundry rooms and for dishwashers, and AFCI to be installed for every circuit, lights and outlets, even those protected by GFCI.<br /><br />Now, the GFCI changes aren't terrible, and I can understand the desire for AFCI. The trouble is... it's really, really expensive, and really, really annoying. AFCI devices are known to switch off at momentary power surges, something that normal circuit breakers are perfectly fine with, as well they should. Microwaves use a sudden burst of energy when they start; protecting a microwave is a pain. Dishwashers are often on their own circuit, and the plug they are wired to is either hard to reach or nonexistent, as they are wired directly to power. That means either a GFCI breaker, or adding an outlet to the dishwasher circuit.<br /><br />Oh, and did I mention cost? The average outlet costs about $1. The average 20A breaker costs between $5 and $10. A GFCI outlet, however, costs $30; an AFCI breaker costs nearly $50! Before 2007, a dishwasher circuit would cost about $5, not counting wire. Today, that same circuit needs AFCI and GFCI, which costs a total of $80. And what does GFCI do for a hard-wired dishwasher? Nothing. As long as the dishwasher is wired correctly, it could be submerged in three feet of water and still not short out. Which means that most of the new rules only add significant cost to installing new circuits, without actually making things any much safer.<br /><br />Worse, unscrupulous electricians (and savvy homeowners) can simply buy the right breakers, get the inspection, then swap out the expensive AFCI breakers for cheap ones and get their money back. Having now replaced and moved several breakers myself, I can vouch for how easy it would be - half an hour of work to replace a whole box. Less, if you're skilled. Not bad for saving hundreds of dollars...<br /><br />Still, rules is rules, as they say; today, I have two AFCI breakers installed for the closet and the bathroom. That was the last big thing to do for the electrical work, at least until my current project is finished. Then it's going to get interesting, because I plan on rewiring the house, or at least most of it.Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-16014798814022126222016-01-26T18:00:00.000-06:002016-03-29T15:30:21.326-05:00The Final Countdown (or) Inspection ProjectionLet me begin by apologizing for the erratic feel of this post. I've worked on so many bits and pieces over the last couple weeks, and hit on so many interesting things to share that it's hard to focus on just one. With that in mind...<br /><br />I grew up in Kansas, about a mile outside the city limits. I learned how to do plumbing, roofing, put up drywall and siding, and generally how to fix and/or build a house from my dad; however, we never had to mess with any building permits. Being outside the city, we could do what we liked, for the most part. The most we ever had to deal with was reporting some of the larger modifications (like when we built a whole house <i>as an addition</i> to our existing house) for tax purposes. And even then, it was hardly anything formal. Living inside the city, however, I have to deal with permits and inspections; it's a whole new world, and it puts some remarkable constraints on what I can and can't do.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />In this case, once I've gotten my building permit, there are two inspections. The first inspection occurs after the framing, wiring, plumbing, sewage, HVAC ducts, siding, and calking have been completed; the second inspection occurs after the insulation, drywall, windows, doors, and flooring go in, but before painting.<br /><br />I've completed the installation of almost everything. Or rather, I've completed the installation of everything, almost. There is a difference. It's gotten to the point of a project that I hate the most: the nitty-gritty details.<br /><br /><ul><li>Framing? Finished... except for the nook archway, which needs to happen last.</li><li>Wiring? Finished... except for a single wire to connect the closet and the nook.</li><li>Plumbing? Finished... except for installing five caps and a tub adapter.</li><li>Sewage? Finished... except for one bathtub drain I need to fit and install.</li><li>Vents? Not finished, actually, though I have the materials ready.</li><li>Siding? Finished... except about two pieces very, very high up.</li><li>Calking? Finished... except along the bottom edge of the new siding, and a hole off to one side.</li></ul><br />As you can see, every single part of my project has a tiny bit left. I'm working through the last details, but it's a little frustrating when I keep finding bits and pieces that just aren't done yet. Better than failing inspection, of course, but still frustrating. Still, I'm managing to stay positive. I really am getting things done, regardless of how it feels.<br /><br />I'm <i>really</i> looking forward to having the first inspection; once I'm past that, I can add insulation and drywall, which will seriously improve the house's existing insulation. Additionally, putting up insulation and drywall, mudding, and painting are all quick-and-easy things, without the need for a whole lot of planning. Get the materials, get cracking, and get done. It will take a lot less time after that point than it did getting to it.<br /><br />Every piece done is another step closer to finally finishing, and that is definitely something I look forward to.Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-986264605333348402015-11-08T23:57:00.000-06:002016-03-29T15:30:06.245-05:00Headway (or) Decisions Through InjuriesOk, so, it's been a really long time since I updated anything. Not that nothing has happened - far to the contrary! Lots of things have happened! However, one unfortunate occurrence is that the blogger app for my phone no longer seems to want to upload pictures. That means that I need to copy pictures that I take with my phone to my desktop to add them to a post. Which explains why this post that I started in July is only being posted now.<br /><br />That out of the way, here's the bit from July:<br /><br />This is the hottest part of the year, but I'm still pushing ahead with construction. I could be working more, but it's been 100 degrees outside, so forget that!<br />As noted in the title, I've made some serious headway, at least as far as construction is concerned.<br />Electrical: Finished, except for tying it into the main house wiring.<br />Sewage and sewage vents: the new bathroom is 100% complete, and the master bathroom has the major sewage pipes in. Huzzah!<br />Framing: exterior framing is 100% finished, and interior framing is done except for where I need to make holes in walls (such as the nook, or the bedroom-to-closet doorway).<br />Siding: In progress; of the seven sections, two are complete, one is nearly complete, and one is partially complete. The "hard spot" is one of the ones that I finished; the exterior door is in, and all the siding has been installed around it. Huzzah!<br /><a name='more'></a><br />I've also put in most of the floor for the master closet...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4WDI3sRpCnQ/VkAiNnI7-VI/AAAAAAAABYo/p9EwqiDB_Uk/s1600/2015-05-25%2B16.11.04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4WDI3sRpCnQ/VkAiNnI7-VI/AAAAAAAABYo/p9EwqiDB_Uk/s320/2015-05-25%2B16.11.04.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WPJnG_sqW7U/VkAiNPWvY3I/AAAAAAAABYk/YQNra6_CF0w/s1600/2015-05-25%2B16.10.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WPJnG_sqW7U/VkAiNPWvY3I/AAAAAAAABYk/YQNra6_CF0w/s320/2015-05-25%2B16.10.27.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br style="clear: both;" />...as well as a skylight. Ouch.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lsTlG85PXPA/VkAiF6ktdtI/AAAAAAAABYM/49bItVUL5p8/s1600/2015-05-23%2B14.33.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lsTlG85PXPA/VkAiF6ktdtI/AAAAAAAABYM/49bItVUL5p8/s320/2015-05-23%2B14.33.05.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Unintentional Skylight</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FEyK9WNKhtg/VkAiGEmTP1I/AAAAAAAABYQ/7WxNYxmGc-Q/s1600/2015-05-23%2B14.28.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FEyK9WNKhtg/VkAiGEmTP1I/AAAAAAAABYQ/7WxNYxmGc-Q/s320/2015-05-23%2B14.28.14.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Foreground: one damaged leg<br />Background: two undamaged legs</td></tr></tbody></table>There are actually two holes in the ceiling; the first happened as I was installing the cross-joists. If you recall, I'm dropping the floor about a foot and a half, by installing new joists under the old ones. Anyway, I was standing on top of the old joists, sliding a new joist into position. My foot slipped, and I landed on one of the new joists - then slipped again. Luckily, my left and right legs ended up on opposite sides of the joist, so I didn't fall completely though. Still, my left leg was trapped between a new joist and an old joist, which scraped it pretty badly. The picture to the right is before it really started swelling up... after a day or two, it was all right to walk on.<br /><br style="clear: both;" />The second hole was much worse. After a long day of installing subfloor, I was tired out; when I accidentally bumped the upstairs water shutoff, I tried to turn it off, and forgot there wasn't actually flooring installed underneath. I stepped off the edge with my right foot, punching right through the ceiling. Of course, my right foot was fine - but in falling, I twisted/jammed/sprained my left foot. It took over two months for it to stop aching.<br /><br />The title also mentions decisions. Originally, my plan had been to replace only the single square of damaged ceiling drywall; now, of course, I have two gaping holes in my ceiling. Now, instead of repairing it, I'm going to completely redo the ceiling, installing new drywall over the old. It uses more material, and it'll be a lot more work, but at this point the ceiling is too damaged to try anything else. The double layer should help with heat and noise insulation, as well as fire protection. Probably not the best way to make a decision, but I think it'll work out. Eventually.<br /><br />As mentioned earlier, I also added the back door, and the siding around it.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aAX2-nI3CNY/VkAr3tJiuHI/AAAAAAAABZI/nXsJwWphWVo/s1600/2015-07-24%2B08.11.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aAX2-nI3CNY/VkAr3tJiuHI/AAAAAAAABZI/nXsJwWphWVo/s320/2015-07-24%2B08.11.06.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left side of the door</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k-TTZ84ZrzY/VkAr4CZfqvI/AAAAAAAABZM/8d1wpVqAulo/s1600/2015-07-24%2B08.11.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-k-TTZ84ZrzY/VkAr4CZfqvI/AAAAAAAABZM/8d1wpVqAulo/s320/2015-07-24%2B08.11.29.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Right side of the door and ceiling</td></tr></tbody></table>The gap the door had to fit in was a bit... small. Technically, there should be a transition of a couple inches on either side of the door, but I didn't have that luxury. The door is a standard sized exterior door, which fits within half an inch of the space I had to work with. It's all right, though; once the trim goes in, it'll look fine.<br />The original siding, as pictured on the right, is flat boards with a groove cut down the center. The paneling I picked doesn't match exactly, but it's close enough that you won't be able to tell unless you're looking closely. <br /><div style="clear: both;"></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f5JbQRSDkTQ/VkAr2zMtXBI/AAAAAAAABZA/lE2xDtXKVPY/s1600/2015-07-24%2B08.11.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f5JbQRSDkTQ/VkAr2zMtXBI/AAAAAAAABZA/lE2xDtXKVPY/s320/2015-07-24%2B08.11.17.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Over the door</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zfOX979Ee7o/VkAr6mOJ_6I/AAAAAAAABZY/YYdKmxuRggE/s1600/2015-07-24%2B08.11.40.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zfOX979Ee7o/VkAr6mOJ_6I/AAAAAAAABZY/YYdKmxuRggE/s320/2015-07-24%2B08.11.40.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ceiling and transition</td></tr></tbody></table>It was a bit difficult installing the panel on the top half. The bit directly over the door was easy enough, but the angles were a little interesting to pull off, since the ceiling wasn't exactly straight. It all worked out in the end, though. I'll post some more pictures once I get the trim in; right now, it's really hard to see the angles, since everything is the same wavy wood.<br /><br />The ceiling transition was fun - at the top of the stairs, the ceiling just ends. The ceiling is simply tongue-and-groove boards, but not something that I can easily replicate, at least without more tools. So, I very carefully cut the paneling to match the line of the ceiling, added a few shims so I could nail the edge, crossed my fingers, and put it up. It worked! Once it's pained, I doubt even I will be able to find the line.<br /><br />I had a few short pieces of trim laying around, so I installed a couple just to see how it looks. I'm not a fan of quarter-round, though, so when I replace it, it's going to be something fancier.<br /><br />Since this summer, I've finished all the interior framing but two walls: the closet, which needs some cubby holes built, and the soon-to-be-hole between the master bedroom and the nook. I'm holding off on that one, because I can't put up drywall until after inspection, but I have to make the hole before inspection. I'm planning to get it inspected, then double-time adding insulation and the outside drywall.<br /><br />I've also completely finished the sewage and sewage vents; I can honestly say the worst part of sewage plumbing is trying to find the right part. I spent so long in the plumbing isle, people thought I worked there...<br /><br />Finally, and most satisfying, is the siding. It's 100% installed! Hurray! It needs painted, but I don't have to worry about rain blowing in any more...<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IRsW0e3k8F0/VkAx5WsqNsI/AAAAAAAABZs/fG0FnhRtISI/s1600/2015-04-29%2B09.51.17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IRsW0e3k8F0/VkAx5WsqNsI/AAAAAAAABZs/fG0FnhRtISI/s320/2015-04-29%2B09.51.17.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before siding - note the white-board-enclosed section</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vSzZGcR-ngI/VkAx5weUS6I/AAAAAAAABZw/TiRMo2jSH1U/s1600/2015-05-01%2B20.05.07.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vSzZGcR-ngI/VkAx5weUS6I/AAAAAAAABZw/TiRMo2jSH1U/s320/2015-05-01%2B20.05.07.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before siding - my son, in front of a window</td></tr></tbody></table>&nbsp;...Except the windows. Yeah. The windows are rather... tall. Which is cool; all the windows in the house are tall. The trouble is, the 7 foot windows don't have a lot of clearance from the floor to the 8 foot ceiling (at the low end of the slope). Enough room for a curtain hanger, basically. The bottom of the window frames will be within a couple inches of the finished floor. It'll look great, having floor-to-ceiling windows, but the single-pane glass is not going to handle a child running down the short hallway at full tilt. No, that will result in broken glass, a plummet to the deck 14 feet below, and a broken child. Not a happy thought. As an added complication, building code requires every living space to have a minimum of two emergency exits, which includes both doors and windows.<br /><br />Thus, my solution is to build bars across the window; I've located some decorative porch railings which will work perfectly. The hallway railing will be permanent, and the windows won't open. The top of the bathroom window will open, but the railing will be permanent there, too. The closet windows will both open, and the railing will swing open, allowing egress. Apart from the closet window, I'll need to rebuild the frames to allow the windows to be permanently closed (and better insulated, to boot). Of course, I still need to replace the glass in the windows... all but one set were broken during construction.<br /><br />That's it for now; stay tuned for more adventures!Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-83011456348571280152015-04-10T23:31:00.000-05:002016-03-29T15:29:44.679-05:00Progress! (or) Non-Livable SpaceIt's been over a year since I wrote anything here. That is a <i>really</i> long time, and I'm sorry that I haven't been able to get much done. There are all sorts of projects that have been left unfinished, but sometimes, life gets in the way.<br /><br />That said, we've finally begun step one of The Big Project! As a planner, a dreamer, and a super-logical person, I have always had big plans, and this house is no exception. I have a huge spreadsheet with all sorts of bells and whistles that tells me what I should work on, what projects cost, and even how far I have to go before I am done with everything. It's a staggeringly huge project, overall. That's why I've chopped it into smaller pieces. For instance, the top-level plan includes "Finish Upstairs", which has the sub-task "Build Addition", which includes "Complete new bathroom", which includes "install toilet"... you get the idea. Well, up to now, I've been stuck with working on all those smaller pieces: making drawers, filling holes, that sort of thing. Today, however, I am pleased to show you the really, really big piece I've been working on.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vAiCUrLk1fQ/VSicAhpCrEI/AAAAAAAABCs/O6PkFfch5v4/s1600/plans_existing.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vAiCUrLk1fQ/VSicAhpCrEI/AAAAAAAABCs/O6PkFfch5v4/s1600/plans_existing.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the existing house...</td></tr></tbody></table>As you can see, the image on the left is the original house plan. This is the second floor view. Note, if you will, the porch; it's 43 feet, 6 inches long, and 5 feet, 8 inches wide. As a porch, it's... tolerable. Of course, I already have two balconies (the lower right and left sides of the picture), if I wanted to look down on humanity. Until recently, I've used that space to store wasps, dust, an empty paint bucket, a handful of rusty nails and staples, and a paint roller, complete with dried paint.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2iYwWqs2Q4k/VSicC2IdOII/AAAAAAAABC0/fz5CrKSkYns/s1600/plans_new.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="291" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2iYwWqs2Q4k/VSicC2IdOII/AAAAAAAABC0/fz5CrKSkYns/s1600/plans_new.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...And this is the new design.</td></tr></tbody></table><br style="clear: left;" />On the other hand (the right hand, as it were), this is my new design. It's much the same, but if you look closely at the porch, you'll realize it's not actually a porch at all, but four rooms. Well, technically, it's two rooms, a hallway, and a room extension, but you get the idea.<br /><br />The new room on the far right is a walk-in closet. It has a door that opens into the bedroom, as well as a door that opens into the hall. The hall hosts an arch from the entryway, and opens to the closet on the right and the bathroom on the left. The bathroom is a full bath, with toilet, sink, and bathtub/shower. I can't wait until it's in use, as right now we're limited to a single bathroom!<br />Finally, to the left of the bathroom is the master bedroom nook. It's a small area connected to the master bedroom, with a window and space for a chair or two (and Lindsay's sewing machine). It leads to the master bathroom via a sliding door, and to the great outdoors via the door shown. It has a three-way switch connected to the porch lights, so I can turn them off from upstairs, too. The master bathroom is currently in a state of disarray; I'm replacing fixtures, but that's a project for a different day.<br /><br />There is a reason for the title ("non-livable space"); when we were getting our building permit, I learned that a room must be 7 feet wide to be considered a livable space. Bedrooms, living rooms, bonus rooms, all must be 7 feet across in both directions, at a minimum. Since the porch is (was) 5 feet 8 inches, that means that no rooms added can be that small. The nook is fine, since it's part of a bigger living space; the hallway is fine, since it's not considered a livable space. The bathroom is also exempt. However, "bonus rooms" (playrooms, studies, and so on) all have that 7 foot rule. We didn't want to build another bathroom (that would be silly), and we didn't want to add a kitchen (also silly), so we took the only option left to us: we made it into a very large walk-in closet. With a door opening into the hall. Hey, it works; no one said kids can't store toys in a walk-in closet.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N1Wn4sZUPo8/VSifQcxj7_I/AAAAAAAABDA/Qspdk75Lp_o/s1600/Picture1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N1Wn4sZUPo8/VSifQcxj7_I/AAAAAAAABDA/Qspdk75Lp_o/s1600/Picture1.jpg" width="187" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siding: not all the same.</td></tr></tbody></table>Oh, and I almost forgot! I'm also replacing some of the ugly siding on the downstairs bathroom. As you can see in the picture, the new siding is this weird bump-out stuff that not only looks bad, but as you can see at the bottom, it's already starting to rot. It's only 10 years old, too. So, happy day, I'll be replacing that once we start putting up siding! It shouldn't take long at all, and it'll look so much nicer. And will be made of cedar, which withstands rot a lot better than yellow pine.<br /><br />As an added benefit, I'll also be able to add some desperately-needed insulation there. Why no one added any insulation when it was first installed boggles the mind... I can understand there being no insulation in 130-year-old walls, but built in the last 10 years? Sigh. Amateurs.<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wHbWtt361V0/VSigvfduYhI/AAAAAAAABDM/QRDoBI9XYSI/s1600/Picture2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wHbWtt361V0/VSigvfduYhI/AAAAAAAABDM/QRDoBI9XYSI/s1600/Picture2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screens and peeling paint and holes, oh my</td></tr></tbody></table><br style="clear: left;" />Finally, a parting picture: this is what the porch used to look like. Stay tuned, and you'll get to see the new work! Yay progress!Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-57062298237392734912014-01-14T12:32:00.000-06:002016-03-29T15:29:30.526-05:00Weekend Work<div dir="ltr">And what a weekend it was! My family - at least, my parents and two of my siblings - visited for the weekend, and I took advantage of their offer of help. Here are a few of the many things we accomplished:</div><h2>The Playhouse</h2><div dir="ltr">This is probably the biggest thing overall that was accomplished. Dad took the lead in this project, since he's the best at carpentry. I had previously purchased all the lumber we needed, and had assembled the basic supports. We cut all the cross boards, and set them in place; it turned out that I was three boards short in my calculations, so I had to go back for more lumber, but it all worked out. And look at how well it turned out!<br /><a name='more'></a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh6.ggpht.com/-NzjX-sxsDHA/UtRwRLodalI/AAAAAAAAAcE/0SyHjJQgoSE/s400/IMG_20140113_093530_178.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So beautiful! So even! So much work!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NzjX-sxsDHA/UtRwRLodalI/AAAAAAAAAcE/0SyHjJQgoSE/s1600/IMG_20140113_093530_178.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-rdohGDf9gGQ/UtRwPwXHPRI/AAAAAAAAAb8/ixXHr89O4Mg/s400/IMG_20140113_093507_382.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not pictured: things that haven't been build, like railings.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-rdohGDf9gGQ/UtRwPwXHPRI/AAAAAAAAAb8/ixXHr89O4Mg/s1600/IMG_20140113_093507_382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a></div><div style="clear: both;">In the picture above, you can see the fourth leg (the one nearest the tree) looks a bit odd. The reason is because it's resting inside a pipe, which in turn is held up by two feet of cement and a tree. It's enough to hold up a deck, but I'm going to add a bit more support before I let the kids play up there. Still, it's enough to hold four full-grown adults, so I'm not expecting this playhouse to feel flimsy at all.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: both; float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-L5kMhB_EVY0/UtRwOWQlbGI/AAAAAAAAAb0/UOERVtveanA/s400/IMG_20140113_093552_379.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="225" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crotchety, yet supportive.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-L5kMhB_EVY0/UtRwOWQlbGI/AAAAAAAAAb0/UOERVtveanA/s1600/IMG_20140113_093552_379.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a> <br /><div>Also, there will be a board in the crotch of the tree (pictured right) holding some of the load. Between the two, it'll be plenty steady. I'm also going to add stabilizing struts to all the posts, to reduce wobble, and an outlying support that will hold a swing, or some other sort of climbing/swinging playground equipment.<br /><br />And while we're on the topic of playground equipment, this playhouse will be awesome. We're planning on adding a rock climbing wall, a slide, a climbing rope, a fireman's pole, and who knows what else.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I have yet to find a good place to hang our new tire swing, donated by our ex-landlords. There are a few good branches out there, but most of them are too tall. I'll probably end up hanging it between the playhouse and a secondary support.&nbsp;</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-AqWunic4FBI/UtRwSNw6FoI/AAAAAAAAAcM/-itEwc2icNQ/s400/IMG_20140113_093500_228.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="400" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like that rope is tired.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AqWunic4FBI/UtRwSNw6FoI/AAAAAAAAAcM/-itEwc2icNQ/s1600/IMG_20140113_093500_228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><h2 style="margin-top: 2em;">Plumbing</h2><div>I don't have any pictures, but we also worked on quite a bit of plumbing. The pipes under the house are now wrapped in warm, snuggly plastic, so they should be able to withstand the next cold snap. It was so cold a couple weeks ago, our hot water pipes froze entirely; there wasn't a drop of hot water in the house. My guess is that while the cold water was used fairly regularly (to fill toilets, washing machines, and drinking cups), the hot water was only used upon occasion, and the water in the pipes had enough time to freeze. Needless to say, climbing around under the house with a heat gun while it was 15 degrees F was not much fun; this week, it was 70 degrees out, and was much more tolerable.<br /><br />And, as long as we were under the house fixing pipes, we also fixed a leaking sewage pipe. Yuck. It was only from the kitchen sink, not from a toilet, but it was still gross. I'm very pleased with my brother Andrew for fixing that for me. He was the only one small enough to fit into the tiny space.<br /><br />My other brother, Chris, replaced the innards of our toilet, which fixed two problems: first, it used to take between 10 minutes and half an hour for the toilet to realize the water level was low and refill it, and second, the old mechanism would make a horrible thump-thump-thump when it stopped, shaking the pipes and generally annoying me. Now, we have neither problem. Yay! One more thing off the list!</div><h2 style="margin-top: 2em;">Other Stuff</h2><div>And that's not all! We also managed to patch a hole in the ceiling - the hole was created by a misplaced teenager foot, but widened by gravity. The sheetrock was poorly affixed, which resulted in a cave-in while we were away for Christmas. We patched it with a bit of cardboard and a lot of other junk piled on top - now, at least, it won't be letting in cold air. I hope to have it fully patched by summertime, so it won't be letting <b>out</b> cold air...<br /><br />I did a bit of investigating, too; we've had raccoons taking up residence around, under, and over our home, which is quite a nuisance. I think I found a favorite entrance hole, though, and in upcoming weeks I'm going to try to fill it all in. The eventual goal, of course, is to completely insulate and enclose the underside of the house, leaving drafts and moisture outside. I've got a ways to go with that, though. I'll need to stop any leaks, first. But, I now have a better idea how to do that, and I'm working on a game plan.<br /><br />We finally installed the handle on the person gate; I'd purchased it way back in October, but just didn't get around to installing it until now. Nonetheless, it is now fully functional; if you want to go into the front yard from the back yard, you can now pull the gate towards yourself with a handle, rather than trying to yank on the thin gap between fence boards.<br /><br />We also got some of the window trim up, on the side of the house where we replaced the siding; I didn't caulk or paint it, since it was supposed to rain, but that's something that will need to happen in the near future.<br /><br />There were a lot of other little things that happened, too, but that's the gist of it. A good time was had by all!</div>Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-63838587186819005692013-12-12T16:52:00.000-06:002016-03-29T15:28:37.471-05:00Tile! Or: Small Projects Make Me Feel Like I Can Actually Finish Things!<div dir="ltr">I'm sure you are all looking forward to a "finished refrigerator shelf system," or a "finished siding" montage. But no! Instead, it's a brand NEW project!</div><div dir="ltr">A few weeks ago, I was discussing my plans for a corned of the kitchen - the laundry area, to be precise. I've always thought the area under a washer/dryer should be tiled; tile is hardy, sturdy, and washable. It doesn't scratch, and it doesn't bubble and warp when it gets wet. It's also a lot better looking than fake wood floors or linoleum. Anyway, I was discussing how I'd like to build a lovely tiled area back there. It made sense, because the eventual plan is to tile the kitchen with pennies, but there will be shelves across that wall, which means either we lay pennies on both sides, or we keep the fake wood. Or, we make it its own space, and tile it!</div><div dir="ltr">The best part of the whole plan is that it really isn't a lot of work. Friday, we removed the old flooring, down to the ancient tile I didn't realize was there.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-e5bSxoxzjYA/UqliDuUizCI/AAAAAAAAAas/CI-5d8ScY-I/s320/IMG_20131208_010301_861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://lh6.ggpht.com/-e5bSxoxzjYA/UqliDuUizCI/AAAAAAAAAas/CI-5d8ScY-I/s200/IMG_20131208_010301_861.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hidden for over 70 years</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-esRhaiDJY98/UqliBoUY7QI/AAAAAAAAAac/Dndaz2o2l8A/s320/IMG_20131208_010239_224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://lh4.ggpht.com/-esRhaiDJY98/UqliBoUY7QI/AAAAAAAAAac/Dndaz2o2l8A/s200/IMG_20131208_010239_224.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thank God for power tools</td></tr></tbody></table>Saturday, I removed said tile, which was placed directly on the underflooring. Ugh. I also installed the step, which is the first part of the shelves/secret door/bookcase, and divider between "laundry room" and "kitchen." Originally (back before we decided to tile that area), the secret door was going to be flush with the ground, but after rather a lot of research, I decided this would be the best way. There would be no track from the door rubbing on the floor, and since this shelf would go all the way across, it would limit dust or water leakage from the washer/dryer into the kitchen itself. I also filled the many, many gaps around the floor with expanding foam. I should buy stock in the company that manufactures that stuff, I use it so frequently. Especially in this house.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-V5Qj6u_Eelo/UqliEtif9uI/AAAAAAAAAa0/Em8Vyd2AjaE/s1600/IMG_20131208_134853_356.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-V5Qj6u_Eelo/UqliEtif9uI/AAAAAAAAAa0/Em8Vyd2AjaE/s320/IMG_20131208_134853_356.jpg" width="240" /></a></td><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_yMIM-TUNgY/UqliCop2_TI/AAAAAAAAAag/qjjkVzD7gBU/s320/IMG_20131208_134858_336.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="135" src="https://lh6.ggpht.com/-_yMIM-TUNgY/UqliCop2_TI/AAAAAAAAAag/qjjkVzD7gBU/s320/IMG_20131208_134858_336.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" colspan="2" style="text-align: center;">Cement boards in place</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-tn3IHNQbDuE/UqliFsEv8MI/AAAAAAAAAa4/fLWvtk2YLEk/s320/IMG_20131208_134926_673.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Fills one inch gaps", ha! That's a 2 x 8 inch gap!</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr">Sunday, I installed the cement subfloor, which ended up being almost level; not such a bad job, if I say so myself. I also laid the first row-and-a-half of tile. It was a... learning experience. I purposely started on the dryer side of the room, because I knew the first few rows would be weaker than the last. I also cut the five tiles that needed cut, which was a muddy, cold experience. Finally, at the end of the evening, I accidentally broke a tile - oops. At least it wasn't mortared in. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Monday, I went to bed early, because I hadn't gotten enough sleep over the weekend. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nqMX87WueZM/UqliGUCNC5I/AAAAAAAAAbE/TXgVuuWLHqE/s1600/IMG_20131211_233343_321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://lh4.ggpht.com/-nqMX87WueZM/UqliGUCNC5I/AAAAAAAAAbE/TXgVuuWLHqE/s320/IMG_20131211_233343_321.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished with the floor - now for the walls!</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr">Tuesday, I finished laying the tile, and laid a foundation for the wall tiles using leftover mortar. I will still need to cut two more tiles - one being the broken piece, to go at the 'front' of the little room, and the other being a 6x6 tile that will go on the wall under the dryer vent. Now that I have the hang of the tile cutter, it won't spray me in the face again... I hope.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Wednesday, I played with the kids. I couldn't work on anything, really, since it needed to cure for 24 hours before I could walk on it. However, in the next week, I plan on placing the wall tiles, grouting everything, putting the washer and dryer back in, and building the shelves and secret door. The only difficulty with the wall tile is trimming my leftover pieces of cement board to fit along the walls, and installing it; the tile itself is only going to be one row high, all the way around. The shelves will take some precision, especially since they will be supporting a heavy door, but at least it won't take long. I really hope to have it all done by the end of next week - or at least before Christmas!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">It's a tiny space, to be sure, but I think this will be one of the most important projects in the house. The tile and shelves will insulate the room, the shelves will muffle the washer/dryer, and overall, it really does look nice - but the most important part is that this is the first longer-than-a-day project that will actually be completed... which does wonders for moral!&nbsp;</div><div dir="ltr"><br />As always, thanks for reading - and I hope we can update this with more pictures soon!</div></div>Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-58714087653515297952013-07-27T20:27:00.000-05:002016-03-29T15:28:24.181-05:00Wood FloorsI love wood floors. I really do. Carpet can be soft and padded, and tile can be very beautiful, but wood is far more than that. It's smooth and comforting, warm and comfortable. The wood in my house is ancient, at least as far as my part of the world is concerned. It has been worn smooth by countless footsteps, all the edges softened and all the splinters worn away by the best sandpaper of all: human skin. Ok, that may seem a little disturbing, but if you think about it, it's true; the best violins have been caressed by human hands, the softest jeans are the ones that you've nearly worn through, and the most comfortable shoes in the world have been wrapped around your feet for years.<br /><br />When carpet wears, it gets thin and gray. It gets used up. Tile doesn't really wear much; I suppose there are comfortable, worn paths in England or Italy, where those tiles were in use for thousands of years... but rock tends to be pretty stable. Wood, though, is soft. Even the hardest woods will be worn down over time. But, unlike carpet (or clothes), when it's worn, it's still just as functional. All those hands and feet and bottoms sliding over baseball bats, floors, and chairs smooth every bump to perfection.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />To me, wood floors speak of warmth, comfort, and and a bit of temporal stability. Wood takes a long time to produce; carpet can be made from nylon, and if you had a big machine, you could make the carpet for an entire house in less than a week. Bricks and tile are hardy, but they're really just dirt and rock; again, with the right equipment, you could make enough tile to cover a thousand bathrooms in a day's time. But wood? Wood takes years, decades, even centuries to grow.<br /><br />My house is all wood floors (well, everything but the kitchen, but we'll get to that later). Upstairs, away from the dust of construction, I almost never wear shoes or socks. My floors must actually massage my feet, because stress and tension leak out through my feet just walking on them. You can have your marble and your custom carpets; I'll take a worn, comfortable wooden floor any day.Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-48074098950000131712013-07-17T12:12:00.002-05:002016-03-29T15:27:43.050-05:00Of Shelves and StructuresRecently, I've worked on a lot of little things, but nothing I can point at and say, "Look at this amazing finished project! I've made huge changes, but most of those changes are "make a bigger mess," rather than "make a smaller mess." Still, we have gotten a few things done, here and there. You will see a difference in my "to do" list - including some parts that were rather unexpected.<br /><br />The biggest section that's been marked off my list is my security section; I wasn't planning on working on any of that for months, if not a year. However, I got a good deal on equipment, so I went ahead and installed it. I don't have all the automation in place that I will want, but the important pieces like window or door intrusion, and smoke/fire alarms, work just fine. I need to learn more about the system so I can hack in some of my own devices... but, that can wait.<br />Meanwhile, I've also been working on some hard-core remodeling. I've decided to tackle the Kitchen - a bit early, I know, but we are so low on kitchen storage that it just needed done. Plus, this is a "stand alone" improvement; unlike moving sinks, installing floors, or repainting all the things, all this required was making a huge mess.<br /><a name='more'></a><br />So what am I building? Well, take a look for yourself! Here's a quick sketch I've whipped up:<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Is it a spreadsheet? No. No, it is not." border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aHie_bABmsY/Uea200QnYBI/AAAAAAAAAXE/wo83aCKivIk/s1600/kitchen_sketch.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Is it a spreadsheet? No. No, it is not." /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is it a spreadsheet? No. No, it is not.</td></tr></tbody></table>Can you guess what it is? No? I guess I need to work on my sketching skills - it's a storage system! The kitchen, if you recall, is 8 feet wide and 15 feet long. All the entrances to the room are on the north end, which means I was free to "cap" the south end of the room with plenty of storage space, as follows:<br /><ul><li>The large, grey thing in the middle is our refrigerator; it has the freezer on the bottom, and "French style doors." It sticks out about 3/4 in. from the rest of the system.</li><li>The yellow cabinets are 32 inches deep, and will have three fixed shelves.</li><li>The orange cabinet will have two very wide shelves, also 32 inches deep - though possibly shorter, if the fridge needs better ventilation.</li><li>The red drawers are 4 inches tall and 24 inches deep, and are about 4 ft from ground level.</li><li>The blue cabinets will each have three 32-inch deep shelves; two of the shelves will slide out.</li><li>The green drawers are about 7 inches square. These drawers will be "Library card-catalog" style, very long (32 inches!), with a catch so you can't yank them out on accident. The tall green drawer will be the size of two drawers and the space between them - perfect for storing cereal boxes!</li><li>Finally, that one out-of-place drawer, the purple one, isn't going to be a drawer at all; it'll be a surprise! Seriously, though, I'll let you know when I finish it.</li></ul>That's not the only thing I'm working on, of course. There is still painting, siding, brush-and-weed-clearing, and a host of other things. And of course, future plans as well; now that I have a security system, the biggest security hole is my gate. I usually remember to close it, but not always. I really want to get an automatic gate system installed, so I can be sure my yard is secure.<br /><br />And speaking of the yard, my backyard is going to hold my next project: a treehouse! My kids love playing outside, but right now the only playthings they have are power tools and deck railings. Neither of which are, well, safe. So, I'm working on a plan for a treehouse: a fairly roomy building with lights, slide, swing, climbing rocks, fireman pole, rope ladder, killer space robot (from space)... well, ok, maybe not that last one, but apart from that, a lot of absolute awesomeness! The best part is that I don't need a building permit, I don't need sheetrock, and if all it turns out to be is a rope swing and a ladder nailed to a tree, my kids would still think it was the most awesome thing in the whole world, and that I was the best Dad ever.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZChXi0b6LZA/UebPFGuKKlI/AAAAAAAAAXU/rEIU8gNWM3M/s1600/playhouse.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZChXi0b6LZA/UebPFGuKKlI/AAAAAAAAAXU/rEIU8gNWM3M/s400/playhouse.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pictured: two treehouses. Not pictured: killer space robot (from space)</td></tr></tbody></table>Regardless, to the left (your left, my right) is an early rendering (artist's impressions!) of a couple ideas of what the treehouse will eventually look like. It'll be a room with a 'deck', and will use a tree as one of the supports. The fireman pole and the gymnast beam are shown, but nothing else fancy. Like windows. Or killer space robots from space. Trust me, though - with my kids' imagination, there will definitely be a killer space robot (from space).<br /><br style="clear: both;" />Well, that's all I have time for today - but don't worry! There will soon be more pictures, posts, and wonderful messes. I have so many things that I'm working on, I'm sure something will be done soon!Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-80306372784191259572013-06-17T15:38:00.000-05:002016-03-29T15:27:29.355-05:00Rot & ReliefThe last month has really been a roller coaster ride. Our insurance deadline is today, and after countless days and nights of work, I sent in the pictures of all our hard labor and waited. After three hours of very tense silence, I finally got the email back - the improvements pass inspection, and our insurance is saved! Huzzah! That is an amazing load off my chest. We still have a lot of work to do, getting all the trim painted, getting the last bits finished - but I don't have a looming deadline hanging over me. No longer will I feel guilty for going to bed at 11:00 at night, instead of staying up until midnight - or later. Nor will I feel guilty for taking off a whole day! God really, really came through for us - as did all our friends!<br /><br />Let me just take a moment to mark something off my todo list:<br />Roof: repaired. Done.<br /><br />Whew.<br /><br />All that being said, now we can take a deep breath before we get back to work! I think the first "next task" is getting rid of the rotting supports, and replacing them with something a little more stable. I've been trying to think of a good way to do that, and I may have come up with a way.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><h3>The Problem</h3>There are four porches on the front of the house: NE top, NE bottom, NW top, and NW bottom. Each porch has has six supports. The top porches support the roof, and the bottom porches support the top porches. Of the porch supports, two are built into the wall, and have no rot whatsoever - nor do I expect any. They are made of cypress, after all. The other supports, however, are pine, and not nearly as robust. Still, the upper NW porch has no rot that I can find. The upper NE porch has one bad support, from constant dripping water. Some from the badly-installed drain, but oddly enough, some from the trees, too - I don't know why, but the trees at that corner leak water. There is a constant cooling rain just at that corner of the house... refreshing, but not wood friendly.<br />The lower NW porch has quite a few rotted supports - one at both ends, one at the top, and one at the bottom. The lower NE porch has one that's rotten all the way up, but only on one side, and a second (under the 'raining tree') that is rotted all the way through, and looks like it may blow away at any moment. It is by far the worst of the lot. To make it worse, much of the wood around it is rotten as well, from top to bottom. We will have to recreate the crumbling accents, as the bits that are there now are nothing but paint-shells full of dust.<br />As for the rotten supports, they will need a little design as well; each support is made of three boards. The center board has square edges, but the other two boards that sandwich it have the edges trimmed. It gives it a good look, but it'll be interesting to match.<br /><br /><h3>The solution</h3>First, I'm shutting down access to the NE porch completely. If something does give way, I don't want anyone to be near it.<br />Second, I'm actually going to start with the other porch; it's the main access to the house, and the supports there are still mostly sound. A little rot here and there is easier to fix than trying to replace an entire corner. I'll need to get all the wood, first, of course, as well as a heavy-duty support board, something that can hold things in place while I work. I'll attach that board right beside the rotten board I'm replacing, nail it in place, then pull down the existing support. Once I have a support, I can design a template that will go over the replacement support. It will simply drop over an edge, and I can use my belt sander to sand it into the right shape. Shaping the replacement boards should be easy; I'm planning on manufacturing all the boards I need before I go about replacing anything. Then all I need to do is slap them in place, put in some super-heavy-duty nails, and my porches will be safe for all! That's the plan, anyway.<br /><br /><h3>TODO: Everything else</h3>There are a lot of things I need to do. Lots of tiny things, and lots of huge things. I have electrical work, plumbing work, carpentry work, and every other kind of work associated with houses... but now that I'm out from under that deadline, it's not as much work as it used to be. Funny how that works, eh?Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-25553292423651852662013-06-12T11:25:00.000-05:002016-03-29T15:27:00.606-05:00Much awaited Pictures postHi, I'm the unofficial-official photographer of Brass Peregrine. My posts will usually just be filled with Pictures and descriptions. So shall we get on with the pictures?? <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XqSgDHEi72A/Ubh3yXy1u0I/AAAAAAAACrU/8sOrltvIshc/s1600/2013-06-10+(5).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XqSgDHEi72A/Ubh3yXy1u0I/AAAAAAAACrU/8sOrltvIshc/s400/2013-06-10+(5).jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the Brass Peregrine</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Isn't she gorgeous! &nbsp;This picture was taken on June 11, 2013; to open up my fist post of pictures I wanted to start with what this beautiful house looks like from the front.<br /><a name='more'></a>Her owners will call this the Rose entrance on account of this wonderful door:</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cpnuK12LN8I/Ubh4X79lkYI/AAAAAAAACrc/yVL-RvSMuz4/s1600/20130518+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cpnuK12LN8I/Ubh4X79lkYI/AAAAAAAACrc/yVL-RvSMuz4/s640/20130518+(4).JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">(this picture was taken from the inside)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">And the over 20 rosebushes in the front garden.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I3opvK77Qvs/Ubh41A7uuYI/AAAAAAAACr4/2CaHUcqUR3U/s1600/20130518+(56).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I3opvK77Qvs/Ubh41A7uuYI/AAAAAAAACr4/2CaHUcqUR3U/s320/20130518+(56).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">beautiful rose on work day in May</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1kvVwVAoQig/Ubh40j1puLI/AAAAAAAACr0/aGgDedZNSiI/s1600/20130518+(57).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1kvVwVAoQig/Ubh40j1puLI/AAAAAAAACr0/aGgDedZNSiI/s320/20130518+(57).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More of the rose bushes in the front garden</td></tr></tbody></table><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vOSjaCGzXC0/Ubh40Zjh3AI/AAAAAAAACrs/pUvXdnLJj9U/s1600/20130518+(58).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vOSjaCGzXC0/Ubh40Zjh3AI/AAAAAAAACrs/pUvXdnLJj9U/s320/20130518+(58).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and even more of them</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5gCDW6V7EBY/Ubh41mwT6II/AAAAAAAACsE/Pwrzp-9jYZg/s1600/20130518+(59).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5gCDW6V7EBY/Ubh41mwT6II/AAAAAAAACsE/Pwrzp-9jYZg/s320/20130518+(59).JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the owners playing with petals</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />In May they had a major work weekend. They gathered all their friends and family and went to work on restoring some of this house. I'm going to post all the pictures and put descriptions on them:<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hmn-lGaEmoI/UbiNDXTEmHI/AAAAAAAACsY/EGahTRUB1Mo/s1600/20130518+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hmn-lGaEmoI/UbiNDXTEmHI/AAAAAAAACsY/EGahTRUB1Mo/s320/20130518+%25282%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The kitchen being torn apart to do some plumbing repairs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tH67rdZTvU0/UbiNkhqSVrI/AAAAAAAACsk/Le29xAqmqgU/s1600/2013-06-10+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tH67rdZTvU0/UbiNkhqSVrI/AAAAAAAACsk/Le29xAqmqgU/s320/2013-06-10+%25287%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Street View</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-af3kCO56bC4/UbiOfPkBdEI/AAAAAAAAC1Y/ahLoBDccoQw/s1600/20130518+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-af3kCO56bC4/UbiOfPkBdEI/AAAAAAAAC1Y/ahLoBDccoQw/s320/20130518+%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The price of having a teenager doing demo work...He demos<br />EVERYTHING!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-404EZWogf9o/UbiOqOUaffI/AAAAAAAAC28/PFc1aWSyubQ/s1600/20130518+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-404EZWogf9o/UbiOqOUaffI/AAAAAAAAC28/PFc1aWSyubQ/s320/20130518+%25286%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Front windows that have had paint scraped around them</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VFEeCoBSkTU/UbiN91L9w-I/AAAAAAAACxI/NzGWHgUWJGA/s1600/20130518+%252815%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VFEeCoBSkTU/UbiN91L9w-I/AAAAAAAACxI/NzGWHgUWJGA/s320/20130518+%252815%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This will be the Purple Iris Entry</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDdRHODxgLw/UbiOAJ_SPCI/AAAAAAAACxg/bQdB8pJKuUU/s1600/20130518+%252817%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hDdRHODxgLw/UbiOAJ_SPCI/AAAAAAAACxg/bQdB8pJKuUU/s320/20130518+%252817%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a more straight on shot of it</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TUW_vGIhmh0/UbiOD8xUc7I/AAAAAAAACx4/7g0cNpGpleE/s1600/20130518+%252819%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TUW_vGIhmh0/UbiOD8xUc7I/AAAAAAAACx4/7g0cNpGpleE/s320/20130518+%252819%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You might be able to see the stain glass on the door of<br />Purple Iris</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-679ZyxG4aLg/UbiOGQhuejI/AAAAAAAACyA/z4AdNPuMPU8/s1600/20130518+%252821%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-679ZyxG4aLg/UbiOGQhuejI/AAAAAAAACyA/z4AdNPuMPU8/s320/20130518+%252821%2529.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was rot here so they pulled down<br />boards &amp; discovered no insulation</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JWB3tYLwn5o/UbiOHPPUbHI/AAAAAAAACyI/qfkMlVsd2sQ/s1600/20130518+%252822%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JWB3tYLwn5o/UbiOHPPUbHI/AAAAAAAACyI/qfkMlVsd2sQ/s320/20130518+%252822%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes that is looking into a room</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br style="clear: both;" />A few more pictures of the wall: <br /><table cellpadding="2px" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i7XU2PWHqM0/UbiOHkkCMoI/AAAAAAAACyQ/mCEm7RIkwEQ/s1600/20130518+%252823%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i7XU2PWHqM0/UbiOHkkCMoI/AAAAAAAACyQ/mCEm7RIkwEQ/s320/20130518+%252823%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yen-h97sCNw/UbiOJhRD8AI/AAAAAAAACyY/reM8H0K6G7A/s1600/20130518+%252824%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Yen-h97sCNw/UbiOJhRD8AI/AAAAAAAACyY/reM8H0K6G7A/s320/20130518+%252824%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-klpwvaRBTrQ/UbiOKd2hmQI/AAAAAAAACyo/1TRU_MVd6KM/s1600/20130518+%252825%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-klpwvaRBTrQ/UbiOKd2hmQI/AAAAAAAACyo/1TRU_MVd6KM/s320/20130518+%252825%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td><td><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IRvjCfc9dSE/UbiON9k9ZXI/AAAAAAAACzI/8LmFRkPJqTU/s1600/20130518+%252829%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IRvjCfc9dSE/UbiON9k9ZXI/AAAAAAAACzI/8LmFRkPJqTU/s320/20130518+%252829%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0TSZU8uI9ME/UbiONdqbJaI/AAAAAAAACzA/eV-lWao2Aqs/s1600/20130518+%252828%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0TSZU8uI9ME/UbiONdqbJaI/AAAAAAAACzA/eV-lWao2Aqs/s320/20130518+%252828%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td><td><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nb_0LpqZ_d4/UbiOLSkEGMI/AAAAAAAACyw/X2lGzFRiKko/s1600/20130518+%252827%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nb_0LpqZ_d4/UbiOLSkEGMI/AAAAAAAACyw/X2lGzFRiKko/s320/20130518+%252827%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5GeLgYzJqGY/UbiORQ0e6vI/AAAAAAAACzg/ZGsQi1m0hnY/s1600/20130518+%252830%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5GeLgYzJqGY/UbiORQ0e6vI/AAAAAAAACzg/ZGsQi1m0hnY/s320/20130518+%252830%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">their backyard</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AncuGZM8V1w/UbiOZI78_wI/AAAAAAAAC0o/wN45y2L7Cgs/s1600/20130518+%252843%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AncuGZM8V1w/UbiOZI78_wI/AAAAAAAAC0o/wN45y2L7Cgs/s320/20130518+%252843%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wonderful back porch area<br />I have ideas for this but I'm not the owner lol</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n4bE69EN74I/UbiOagT6iBI/AAAAAAAAC0w/e_VKfGBX4wM/s1600/20130518+%252844%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n4bE69EN74I/UbiOagT6iBI/AAAAAAAAC0w/e_VKfGBX4wM/s320/20130518+%252844%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The stairs and the screened in upper story porch...<br />it won't stay this way</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c35_CtOFeoM/UbiObEHtI9I/AAAAAAAAC04/Ry-KRxbSTTY/s1600/20130518+%252845%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c35_CtOFeoM/UbiObEHtI9I/AAAAAAAAC04/Ry-KRxbSTTY/s320/20130518+%252845%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love this shot I don't know why</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7UWmsyNRMoc/UbiOb-0sT-I/AAAAAAAAC1A/BgRu0Zh5lbo/s1600/20130518+%252846%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7UWmsyNRMoc/UbiOb-0sT-I/AAAAAAAAC1A/BgRu0Zh5lbo/s320/20130518+%252846%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the flowers by the back porch</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MBbYnnIpHD8/UbiOct6Vn-I/AAAAAAAAC1M/c7MV8WkZzyA/s1600/20130518+%252847%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MBbYnnIpHD8/UbiOct6Vn-I/AAAAAAAAC1M/c7MV8WkZzyA/s320/20130518+%252847%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yuVrc6d200A/UbiOijmU3yI/AAAAAAAAC1w/8IZOwm_Ciog/s1600/20130518+%252852%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yuVrc6d200A/UbiOijmU3yI/AAAAAAAAC1w/8IZOwm_Ciog/s320/20130518+%252852%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">To the right of the Rose Entrance</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mlmC1k0xNn8/UbiOiexOMYI/AAAAAAAAC1s/54Z3_ee3gb4/s1600/20130518+%252851%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mlmC1k0xNn8/UbiOiexOMYI/AAAAAAAAC1s/54Z3_ee3gb4/s320/20130518+%252851%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More flowers that surround this house</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GBe-yUYbcgY/UbiOjlq_9RI/AAAAAAAAC18/S-X-EGkoC-A/s1600/20130518+%252850%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GBe-yUYbcgY/UbiOjlq_9RI/AAAAAAAAC18/S-X-EGkoC-A/s320/20130518+%252850%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Building a "driveway" with remnants<br />of sidewalk from the front</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vDjcHHwasZE/UbiOgH-___I/AAAAAAAAC1g/fjQy3fRgUDE/s1600/20130518+%252849%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vDjcHHwasZE/UbiOgH-___I/AAAAAAAAC1g/fjQy3fRgUDE/s320/20130518+%252849%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">...And also some old boards.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AZO-p9n0n-I/UbiOqbo684I/AAAAAAAAC3A/mYDfTfkQUQQ/s1600/20130518+%252860%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AZO-p9n0n-I/UbiOqbo684I/AAAAAAAAC3A/mYDfTfkQUQQ/s320/20130518+%252860%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A brother hard at work scraping paint</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_9i1uBEiQRY/UbiOsmdpr9I/AAAAAAAAC3Q/VD_BRkypP7E/s1600/20130518+%252861%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_9i1uBEiQRY/UbiOsmdpr9I/AAAAAAAAC3Q/VD_BRkypP7E/s320/20130518+%252861%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Magnolia Tree that littlest owners have already climbed</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WyayR4LnHUY/UbiOtEwnx7I/AAAAAAAAC3Y/2Pk2AyFfykU/s1600/20130518+%252863%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WyayR4LnHUY/UbiOtEwnx7I/AAAAAAAAC3Y/2Pk2AyFfykU/s320/20130518+%252863%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A View from the back screened in porch</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MJkRXuvi47k/UbiOvSHWeDI/AAAAAAAAC3k/XD0Yi6luH9E/s1600/20130518+%252864%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MJkRXuvi47k/UbiOvSHWeDI/AAAAAAAAC3k/XD0Yi6luH9E/s320/20130518+%252864%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vYTRUJnWuxU/UbiOv-79YnI/AAAAAAAAC3w/iQsfwa2ndGM/s1600/20130518+%252865%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vYTRUJnWuxU/UbiOv-79YnI/AAAAAAAAC3w/iQsfwa2ndGM/s320/20130518+%252865%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCA0rwv1ub8/UbiOxNJfzDI/AAAAAAAAC4A/I6_aNQSedtY/s1600/20130518+%252868%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xCA0rwv1ub8/UbiOxNJfzDI/AAAAAAAAC4A/I6_aNQSedtY/s320/20130518+%252868%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LUNCH TIME!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2gfjiNsg678/UbiOz45MyPI/AAAAAAAAC4g/SEp_kzwd250/s1600/20130518+%252871%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2gfjiNsg678/UbiOz45MyPI/AAAAAAAAC4g/SEp_kzwd250/s320/20130518+%252871%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Priming the back porch</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WM0WZnmo4sA/UbiO0PJDjdI/AAAAAAAAC4o/a-pCmjDtqL4/s1600/20130518+%252872%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WM0WZnmo4sA/UbiO0PJDjdI/AAAAAAAAC4o/a-pCmjDtqL4/s320/20130518+%252872%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xAGOQ15dves/UbiO1FES7wI/AAAAAAAAC4w/lZeqtuBTdkY/s1600/20130518+%252873%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xAGOQ15dves/UbiO1FES7wI/AAAAAAAAC4w/lZeqtuBTdkY/s320/20130518+%252873%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VTiAhjzFaj4/UbiO3qFySgI/AAAAAAAAC5U/XSk9ges7MQw/s1600/20130518+%252876%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VTiAhjzFaj4/UbiO3qFySgI/AAAAAAAAC5U/XSk9ges7MQw/s320/20130518+%252876%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mopping the wall to be primed</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ohQ_hOssS7k/UbiO3pz9iwI/AAAAAAAAC5Q/Mh7TvwVoxnw/s1600/20130518+%252877%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ohQ_hOssS7k/UbiO3pz9iwI/AAAAAAAAC5Q/Mh7TvwVoxnw/s320/20130518+%252877%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EjuAM1xbG4A/UbiO8vMJnBI/AAAAAAAAC6A/EhVIxAnTjSc/s1600/20130518+%252880%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EjuAM1xbG4A/UbiO8vMJnBI/AAAAAAAAC6A/EhVIxAnTjSc/s320/20130518+%252880%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing beats conversation when you are working hard</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--_TDEOTqNsE/UbiO8OxUlSI/AAAAAAAAC58/Dg8J687MrKg/s1600/20130518+%252882%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--_TDEOTqNsE/UbiO8OxUlSI/AAAAAAAAC58/Dg8J687MrKg/s320/20130518+%252882%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YsgS7B8boDs/UbiO_-I3I1I/AAAAAAAAC6c/WLFO1Fzias0/s1600/20130518+%252884%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YsgS7B8boDs/UbiO_-I3I1I/AAAAAAAAC6c/WLFO1Fzias0/s320/20130518+%252884%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ahh a wee break from breaking cement</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9n2ze5OKeXI/UbiPAMiUpwI/AAAAAAAAC6g/zlXBojCW6Gs/s1600/20130518+%252885%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9n2ze5OKeXI/UbiPAMiUpwI/AAAAAAAAC6g/zlXBojCW6Gs/s320/20130518+%252885%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An Owner and his home</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MoGGb_s91jY/UbiPCjtXYbI/AAAAAAAAC68/2zReM49g2b0/s1600/20130518+%252888%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-MoGGb_s91jY/UbiPCjtXYbI/AAAAAAAAC68/2zReM49g2b0/s320/20130518+%252888%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">upstairs balcony</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ww0ApEi-Fi4/UbiPCVac2JI/AAAAAAAAC64/jAwXb-VPcvo/s1600/20130518+%252889%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ww0ApEi-Fi4/UbiPCVac2JI/AAAAAAAAC64/jAwXb-VPcvo/s320/20130518+%252889%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Installing Insulation</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--EmYT5UE9Ic/UbiPFrsAMaI/AAAAAAAAC7c/KxEAtbccP74/s1600/20130518+%252890%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--EmYT5UE9Ic/UbiPFrsAMaI/AAAAAAAAC7c/KxEAtbccP74/s320/20130518+%252890%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quite a bit done</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OQfq27QgKQ8/UbiPEoisdfI/AAAAAAAAC7Q/T_Q5y5-gxFs/s1600/20130518+%252891%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OQfq27QgKQ8/UbiPEoisdfI/AAAAAAAAC7Q/T_Q5y5-gxFs/s320/20130518+%252891%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BEbdLR03gnM/UbiPFuloFXI/AAAAAAAAC7g/lB0OtJ9BodY/s1600/20130518+%252892%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BEbdLR03gnM/UbiPFuloFXI/AAAAAAAAC7g/lB0OtJ9BodY/s320/20130518+%252892%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bv3JKrKnwsg/UbiPJdHb8BI/AAAAAAAAC8Q/Uz8McXDAx08/s1600/20130518+%252898%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Bv3JKrKnwsg/UbiPJdHb8BI/AAAAAAAAC8Q/Uz8McXDAx08/s320/20130518+%252898%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hard working teenager</td></tr></tbody></table><br style="clear: both;" />Some Interior shots...please be patient as I'm still playing with my camera so some of them were attempts at taking "artistic" shots<br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bKzIls30v10/UbiNyIqa5zI/AAAAAAAACvU/nITBpBOyCP4/s1600/20130518+%2528128%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bKzIls30v10/UbiNyIqa5zI/AAAAAAAACvU/nITBpBOyCP4/s320/20130518+%2528128%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This upstairs in the ManCave...what a ceiling fan!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdB64vAaxsA/UbiNuXx4AFI/AAAAAAAACuo/C6wdmGjIADY/s1600/20130518+%2528113%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tdB64vAaxsA/UbiNuXx4AFI/AAAAAAAACuo/C6wdmGjIADY/s320/20130518+%2528113%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">these awesome curtains came WITH the house</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g34kr9U84MA/UbiNyLMSKEI/AAAAAAAACvY/p624t_DgRbk/s1600/20130518+%2528125%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g34kr9U84MA/UbiNyLMSKEI/AAAAAAAACvY/p624t_DgRbk/s320/20130518+%2528125%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9rR-dTza5zQ/UbiNvlUbIjI/AAAAAAAACuw/Z4pOzO-ZzVU/s1600/20130518+%2528117%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9rR-dTza5zQ/UbiNvlUbIjI/AAAAAAAACuw/Z4pOzO-ZzVU/s320/20130518+%2528117%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The front foyer's chandelier</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FbJpBwTQ_K8/UbiNz4vKaMI/AAAAAAAACvk/AohWWi6Zrt8/s1600/20130518+%2528129%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FbJpBwTQ_K8/UbiNz4vKaMI/AAAAAAAACvk/AohWWi6Zrt8/s320/20130518+%2528129%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stairs going down</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-02zIWUNrv3M/UbiN0aU4oEI/AAAAAAAACvw/k3LxyYWjOH4/s1600/20130518+%2528130%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-02zIWUNrv3M/UbiN0aU4oEI/AAAAAAAACvw/k3LxyYWjOH4/s320/20130518+%2528130%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gmdx80NGIn4/UbiN20lN3eI/AAAAAAAACwI/PrDulXscDbQ/s1600/20130518+%2528133%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gmdx80NGIn4/UbiN20lN3eI/AAAAAAAACwI/PrDulXscDbQ/s320/20130518+%2528133%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the upstairs bedrooms</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0m-R5UA6zFM/UbiN4tf8HcI/AAAAAAAACwc/lB5gVq9IaWk/s1600/20130518+%2528137%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0m-R5UA6zFM/UbiN4tf8HcI/AAAAAAAACwc/lB5gVq9IaWk/s320/20130518+%2528137%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The railing view from the stairs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nq2ARNCbHVU/UbiN4zYlEAI/AAAAAAAACwg/s39PVggA71o/s1600/20130518+%2528139%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nq2ARNCbHVU/UbiN4zYlEAI/AAAAAAAACwg/s39PVggA71o/s320/20130518+%2528139%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Coming down the stairs</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_x5WVsHGi2E/UbiPhxojagI/AAAAAAAAC_o/dhgRrNBvtDk/s1600/20130603+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_x5WVsHGi2E/UbiPhxojagI/AAAAAAAAC_o/dhgRrNBvtDk/s320/20130603+%25284%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is in the upstairs bathroom, It once had a standing<br />shower that was removed</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8j_DlO8a38/UbiPiRpU_VI/AAAAAAAAC_w/Qx2V7q8NYJM/s1600/20130603+%25285%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E8j_DlO8a38/UbiPiRpU_VI/AAAAAAAAC_w/Qx2V7q8NYJM/s320/20130603+%25285%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is supposed to be a walk in closet...Right now it's been<br />Demolished by teen boys</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ifk-bABvwRk/UbiPjVYYmrI/AAAAAAAAC_4/EptMJBtgOVI/s1600/20130603+%25286%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ifk-bABvwRk/UbiPjVYYmrI/AAAAAAAAC_4/EptMJBtgOVI/s320/20130603+%25286%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More of the Closet<br />Remember the hole on the side of the house?&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9pLos4DPxZI/UbiPjwL9zmI/AAAAAAAADAE/UGq15QxlPUs/s1600/20130603+%25287%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9pLos4DPxZI/UbiPjwL9zmI/AAAAAAAADAE/UGq15QxlPUs/s320/20130603+%25287%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This goes to empty space</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jFxUOGPwUmU/UbiPkNVayBI/AAAAAAAADAI/ABZhbriANXA/s1600/20130603+%25288%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jFxUOGPwUmU/UbiPkNVayBI/AAAAAAAADAI/ABZhbriANXA/s320/20130603+%25288%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rest of the upstairs bathroom</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pDjGs1F_2ec/UbiPkmpvWBI/AAAAAAAADAQ/piTrPj86oeg/s1600/20130603+%25289%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pDjGs1F_2ec/UbiPkmpvWBI/AAAAAAAADAQ/piTrPj86oeg/s320/20130603+%25289%2529.JPG" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2 doors - 1 to the closet 1 to the screened<br />in porch</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N2_LHf7sWw0/UbiPNB9ZZxI/AAAAAAAAC8s/OLigl7BtLvQ/s1600/20130603+%252810%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N2_LHf7sWw0/UbiPNB9ZZxI/AAAAAAAAC8s/OLigl7BtLvQ/s320/20130603+%252810%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upstairs porch off one of the bedrooms</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yuomrjb8RM0/UbiPOibOiXI/AAAAAAAAC84/-qzQWbGTmm0/s1600/20130603+%252811%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yuomrjb8RM0/UbiPOibOiXI/AAAAAAAAC84/-qzQWbGTmm0/s320/20130603+%252811%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7y0yKsllVkg/UbiPNev7-XI/AAAAAAAAC8w/CRgov5UAJyQ/s1600/20130603+%252812%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7y0yKsllVkg/UbiPNev7-XI/AAAAAAAAC8w/CRgov5UAJyQ/s320/20130603+%252812%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7g2scvYw0qc/UbiPRW-dy5I/AAAAAAAAC9I/QR1hG2PRkM0/s1600/20130603+%252814%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7g2scvYw0qc/UbiPRW-dy5I/AAAAAAAAC9I/QR1hG2PRkM0/s320/20130603+%252814%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This would be the Rose Entry Upstairs porch</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AHiyH_zuzvg/UbiPRh7ZipI/AAAAAAAAC9Q/ddGjNmkYD5o/s1600/20130603+%252815%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AHiyH_zuzvg/UbiPRh7ZipI/AAAAAAAAC9Q/ddGjNmkYD5o/s320/20130603+%252815%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ei5Qfqx6sn0/UbiPSz3wF6I/AAAAAAAAC9Y/jmgxELMXlnY/s1600/20130603+%252816%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ei5Qfqx6sn0/UbiPSz3wF6I/AAAAAAAAC9Y/jmgxELMXlnY/s320/20130603+%252816%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-922TS0aypcc/UbiPUUn48VI/AAAAAAAAC9g/qnM8jHDZVMc/s1600/20130603+%252818%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-922TS0aypcc/UbiPUUn48VI/AAAAAAAAC9g/qnM8jHDZVMc/s320/20130603+%252818%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the door, check out the details...I want to repaint it<br />paint the detail in contrasting colors...but not my<br />house</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8OmnBk1AVUg/UbiPU2mJwBI/AAAAAAAAC9s/mVHU7mrGY8A/s1600/20130603+%252819%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8OmnBk1AVUg/UbiPU2mJwBI/AAAAAAAAC9s/mVHU7mrGY8A/s320/20130603+%252819%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rose Entry - primed</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WsVBmWprrOY/UbiPWT3PERI/AAAAAAAAC-A/knqP8LLnBbg/s1600/20130603+%252820%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WsVBmWprrOY/UbiPWT3PERI/AAAAAAAAC-A/knqP8LLnBbg/s320/20130603+%252820%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1n1CNYvhPjw/UbiPZRPIfoI/AAAAAAAAC-Y/MlpT3GsAFKI/s1600/20130603+%252823%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1n1CNYvhPjw/UbiPZRPIfoI/AAAAAAAAC-Y/MlpT3GsAFKI/s320/20130603+%252823%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">side of house between Rose and Iris entries</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LlpfklsTfKo/UbiPbAQBnlI/AAAAAAAAC-g/TJXKtdBLoEQ/s1600/20130603+%252824%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LlpfklsTfKo/UbiPbAQBnlI/AAAAAAAAC-g/TJXKtdBLoEQ/s320/20130603+%252824%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Look at that pretty wood!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gj5LwJQ8Yfk/UbiPbymk_rI/AAAAAAAAC-o/08mewcqqRIY/s1600/20130603+%252825%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gj5LwJQ8Yfk/UbiPbymk_rI/AAAAAAAAC-o/08mewcqqRIY/s320/20130603+%252825%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X0iPFNXO2Dk/UbiPeOo9G-I/AAAAAAAAC-8/cngJ0E_e1-I/s1600/20130603+%252826%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X0iPFNXO2Dk/UbiPeOo9G-I/AAAAAAAAC-8/cngJ0E_e1-I/s320/20130603+%252826%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">ahh the drained water feature because<br />water feature&nbsp;+ 2 little boys = no peace &amp; quiet</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OKGqA-cLTF0/UbiPdbZcd9I/AAAAAAAAC-w/Ey8Q3sBE3ks/s1600/20130603+%252827%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OKGqA-cLTF0/UbiPdbZcd9I/AAAAAAAAC-w/Ey8Q3sBE3ks/s320/20130603+%252827%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Window that the children "painted"</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GXIhUGY6EQo/UbiPeRUoJUI/AAAAAAAAC_A/T_o0i1FWqzM/s1600/20130603+%252828%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GXIhUGY6EQo/UbiPeRUoJUI/AAAAAAAAC_A/T_o0i1FWqzM/s320/20130603+%252828%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steps going to the screened porch</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hVewrm1N_m0/UbiPh01SIGI/AAAAAAAAC_k/NHb0eCFQgBA/s1600/20130603+%252831%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hVewrm1N_m0/UbiPh01SIGI/AAAAAAAAC_k/NHb0eCFQgBA/s320/20130603+%252831%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't see it terribly well, but the blue color<br />around that hole is the color of the original trim!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>sherrie mckinneyhttps://plus.google.com/110050980401581277683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-85413135741204564412013-05-28T11:00:00.001-05:002016-03-29T15:26:24.220-05:00Paints and Projects<div dir="ltr">It's been a bit since I last posted; more than a month, actually! Since then, we've gotten a lot of stuff done - we put on the first layer of primer (on a small part of the house), scraped paint off a lot more of the house, dug up broken sidewalk, cut wayward branches, emptied a pond, paved a temporary driveway, trimmed back our impressive rose hedges, rewired some phone lines, tore siding off one side of the house to replace it, removed cable, moved our kitchen sink, tore out the horrifically ugly shower, and... well, as they say, so much more. I have neither the time or the patience to describe all of what we accomplished, but here are a few highlights:<br /><br /><a name='more'></a></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-raipySYjVoA/UaI-Kv1ph3I/AAAAAAAAASA/ezZEn3zEcxA/s1600/IMG_20130509_144223_294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://lh6.ggpht.com/-raipySYjVoA/UaI-Kv1ph3I/AAAAAAAAASA/ezZEn3zEcxA/s640/IMG_20130509_144223_294.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The colors, man, the colors!</td></tr></tbody></table><div dir="ltr">This is our paint test wall; all the colors we chose are historic colors. We didn't actually plan on that; we picked out some colors, and said, "Hey, these should look good, let's go to Lowe's and see what matches." And what do you know, but our period-accurate color choices are historic colors!</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">The light green is the main house color. The dark green will go on the foundation bricks and on the porch ceilings - we won't need a lot of that. The red is for the trim and edging, and the yellow is for the decorative bits. Finally, the gray is for the floors.</div><div dir="ltr"><br /></div><div dir="ltr">I can't wait to get it finished, but the last paint job was so badly done, it's taking forever for us to get it all scraped and sanded. The flaking paint in the picture is due to a complete lack of primer; paint that's only a couple years old is flaking off, all over the house. But that's not the worst; the worst is the cracking paint six layers deep. It's hard, but it has deep cracks that will be a joy to fill... still. When it's done, it will look awesome!</div><div dir="ltr"><br style="clear: both;" /></div><div dir="ltr"><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cfAj_NFWO7Q/UaI-LghbQ5I/AAAAAAAAASI/WwdfvtxKuR4/s1600/IMG_20130416_193508_270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh4.ggpht.com/-cfAj_NFWO7Q/UaI-LghbQ5I/AAAAAAAAASI/WwdfvtxKuR4/s320/IMG_20130416_193508_270.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You know you want to push it</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-uhVcptJC_Y0/UaI-NtE6jtI/AAAAAAAAASY/McI8PSOTGv4/s320/IMG_20130416_193446_300.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="179" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not quite "A Christmas Carol"</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uhVcptJC_Y0/UaI-NtE6jtI/AAAAAAAAASY/McI8PSOTGv4/s1600/IMG_20130416_193446_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><br /><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uhVcptJC_Y0/UaI-NtE6jtI/AAAAAAAAASY/McI8PSOTGv4/s1600/IMG_20130416_193446_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a> <br /><div>This is Marley, our door knocker. He's mostly just for looks; I'm hoping that most people will use our doorbell, instead. Mostly because our doorbell is just plain awesome. As you can see, the doorbell is an actual bell mounted on the door.</div><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vmQt4E_1QjQ/UaI-I3lCoaI/AAAAAAAAARw/MRUjuUQ1xuA/s1600/IMG_20130416_193546_711.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="111" src="https://lh4.ggpht.com/-vmQt4E_1QjQ/UaI-I3lCoaI/AAAAAAAAARw/MRUjuUQ1xuA/s200/IMG_20130416_193546_711.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table>The bell has a lovely tone, and you can hear it through the whole house - and best of all, it's original! It need some TLC (and probably a new spring), but even so, it works, and it looks really good. I'm hoping to make a little sign to put above the bell, something that says "Please ring bell" in flowery script. </div><br style="clear: both;" /><div dir="ltr"><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://lh3.ggpht.com/-oRirmymMnmw/UaI-JiJyAlI/AAAAAAAAAR4/8I-ntZQb30c/s200/IMG_20130416_193238_390.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="111" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is only a tiny piece</td></tr></tbody></table></div>This (blurry, sorry) tangle of wires is why I hate cable. Need a TV? No problem! We'll just bolt these splitters onto the wall, drill holes through your 130 year old house, and make sure to fasten it with alternating screws and nails for hundreds of feet, back and forth and up and down, completely ignoring the fact that we could have put it out of sight underneath! Oh, yes. These cables are gone, removed with extreme prejudice. The holes, however, remain, a sobering reminder of the scars entertainment can leave.</div><br style="clear: both;" /><div dir="ltr"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IP0E7LUZjps/UaI-MV7KpbI/AAAAAAAAASQ/5sKvFmrLAwA/s1600/IMG_20130517_174747_839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh6.ggpht.com/-IP0E7LUZjps/UaI-MV7KpbI/AAAAAAAAASQ/5sKvFmrLAwA/s320/IMG_20130517_174747_839.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Branching out</td></tr></tbody></table>Finally, here is a friend of ours, chopping a branch off a tree. I am so very, very, <strong>VERY</strong> glad of all the help our friends have given us; we've had entire families camp out at our house, just to help us scrape paint and pull off rotted boards. I am overwhelmed at how blessed I am to have friends like these. Even after I trick people into coming to my house and working for hours in the sun, scraping paint. Sometimes I wonder why I have any friends left at all!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uhVcptJC_Y0/UaI-NtE6jtI/AAAAAAAAASY/McI8PSOTGv4/s1600/IMG_20130416_193446_300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> &nbsp;</a> </div></div>Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-89025570595625483222013-04-23T12:22:00.000-05:002016-03-29T15:25:28.052-05:00Getting Ideas Out of My HeadThere are a lot of things to do in this house, and we've only just begun to scrape the surface of what needs doing. But, as with all my projects, I've started with a huge pile of notes. Notes help focus my thinking - when I have a project bouncing around in my head, I can't stop thinking about it until I write it down. Sometimes, it means that I just stop thinking about that project, either because I've written a complete plan, or because it's no longer worrying me. Other times, I keep thinking about it, and return again and again to my notes, eventually ending up with sometime amazing. Often, I'll just delete (or throw away) my notes, because whatever was worrying me at the time was really not all that important - but I didn't realize that until I wrote it all down. <br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />For example, here's a notepad sketch I've made of the house itself; drawn from memory, so the exact window count may be off, and the dimensions leave a lot to be desired, but it gives the general impression:<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rcGGz39Y-Xs/UXa4VLr2QtI/AAAAAAAAAMw/YESokm-jljc/s1600/layout.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What, this doesn't count as an architectural drawing? Would it work if it were blue?</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">That drawing may not look like much, but it helps me immensely. As I plan where I want new outlets and network jacks, I can use that sketch to judge the best spots for installation. I want a telephone line in the upstairs and downstairs entry ways - but while there is the perfect space downstairs, between those windows on the far wall, if I put a phone upstairs it would be in the way of the stairs. I'll have to figure out someplace else for that. </div><br />If I didn't write things down, all the negatives would crowd out the positives; sometimes, that's fine - that roof really does need fixed, and I should probably focus on it. Then again, sometimes those negatives will end up making me do something stupid. For instance, when I'm thinking about where to put phone and network jacks, my first thought is my current living room. I don't have network connectivity to the two computers sitting there! Quick, install some network jacks! <br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TP4mhTzowP4/UXa6W0LOeFI/AAAAAAAAANA/5Di2sh60wFQ/s1600/peelingpaint.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TP4mhTzowP4/UXa6W0LOeFI/AAAAAAAAANA/5Di2sh60wFQ/s320/peelingpaint.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peeling paint and dead plants living on my house! </td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;"><br />That would be a bad idea - because in the next year or so, that's not going to be the living room. It's going to be the dining room. I don't want a couple jacks marring the walls; I don't want anything marring the walls any more than it has to. <br /><br />Instead, I write out what I want to do, like that map up there. Where do I want to install things? Why? How much will it cost? How big of holes will there be? Will we need holes, or can we use existing features (or damage)? <br /><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bF5zZn683G0/UXa6YMISamI/AAAAAAAAANI/IPrrCGLWHVc/s1600/second-front-door.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bF5zZn683G0/UXa6YMISamI/AAAAAAAAANI/IPrrCGLWHVc/s320/second-front-door.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So awesome!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: left;">It takes a while, but eventually, I take images like the one above out of my head, safely tucked away until it's needed. Then, there is finally room for me to fill my head with all the awesome images and thoughts! <br /><br />There is a lot of work I need to do. There are so many thoughts in my head, I'm not sure if I can handle all the work; I've set a brutal schedule, and I have to hold not only myself to it, but all the various contractors, document-signers, and red-tape-wielders as well. Some days, it's awfully hard to get that second image in my head... but then, some days, I look at my house and think how absolutely epic it's going to be. And how my muscles will, one day, not be super sore all the time. </div>Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-9867621450520608682013-04-22T21:52:00.001-05:002016-03-29T15:24:57.699-05:00It's the Little Things Well. Today, very little happened, but quite a few things happened. The biggest progress move is - Andrew's switchplates arrived! He'll be busy for awhile replacing every ugly plastered switchplate in the house with the new brass covers. The biggest personal move is: we finally have internet. AT&amp;T just had issues with the house being so old, and having not been occupied for so long. Andrew had a choice of putting DSL through the Library (current boys' bedroom) or the room directly above - his room. He made the best long-term move and put it upstairs. Of course, this means that until he can make the wireless router downstairs connect, there is no direct internet for the PCs on the first floor. Also of course, in the long-term, this won't be an issue as he will feed the network cable down from his room through the alcove into the downstairs. Networking IS a priority to make this place 21st century.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />Then, Andrew received a statement from our homeowner's insurance. Apparently, three things need to happen to ensure we maintain coverage after June: 1) we need to fix the loose shingles on the roof, 2) we need to paint the house and 3) trim back some branchs. This rather changes our priorities. We were planning on painting in the fall, with more of an emphasis at present on renovating the upstairs. This means that, while we may still be able to renovate this summer, first things first - PAINT! So, I'll be running to the library and looking for any books they have on Queen Anne homes and paint. <br /><br />Also, on the topic of the library - I spoke to a few people today. Well, I called a few people today. I only actually spoke to one human being. I spoke to a lady named Ellen at the Preservation Longview group. I thought they were some sort of group that helped with the oversight of restorations. Nope. As it turns out, they are just a group of folks who believe in reclaiming historic homes and restoring them. They do this by obtaining grant monies and contracting out the work. So, she couldn't tell me much information herself - but she was still most helpful. She gave me a name: Lynn (Bivins) Simpson, whose grandmother was the Mrs. Bivins our home was named for. Ellen apparently went to school with Lynn. The Lewis-Bivins house holds a special place in Ellen's heart, as her grandparents were married there by a Justice of the Peace! This was somewhere during the depression, as Ellen and Lynn are now in their early 60s. She sent me looking at the Gregg County Historical Museum, as she believes they have a book published with photos of the house. She also suggested looking under Bivins in the resource area at the library where they keep all the newspaper clippings on file. Hopefully, we can find some photos there - perhaps of the interior, though that may be too much to wish for.<br /><br />Ellen gave me the name and number of the Longview city planner, mentioning that the house is state recognized landmark, but not yet a local landmark. With the city planner's aid, and our attempts to restore it made known, we may be able to get it recognized as a local landmark, which may carry with it some tax benefits - Yay! Finally, she told me to get in touch with the Texas Historical Commission. Our house is number 11678 on the State Atlas. The historical commission should be able to give us any and all specifics as to what we may or may not do toward altering the house. Those two offices were unavailable, but I hope to hear back soon. <br /><br />Meanwhile, back in reality-ville, even though the dishwasher doesn't fit, and we'd have to build a special jutting out bit from the counter until we renovate the kitchen - it isn't even worth doing until we figure out what's got the sink backed up. I already did this dishwasher spilling over onto the floor because of a backed up sink business in Laura Ln and if I despised it in a slab foundation house that wasn't even my own, doing that kind of damage to MY historic peer and beam house is unconscionable. So, that's on hold until Andrew can have a look at the plumbing -which he thinks is a mess. A short-term project I'd appreciate having done would be popping the slipped ice maker line up from the crawl space into the freezer. But, as I don't want to crawl down there - I'll be patient for the man who is going to do it.<br /><br />Yesterday, Andrew, Mr. A and Jman went at the huge runoff block the neighbors placed on the edge of Bivins Ct. to keep the rain from drenching the backyard. Lovely idea - and while it is fine for high riding pickups - Andrew couldn't park his own car in the backyard without bottoming out. So, the guys lowered it with pickaxes and sledgehammers, and augmented the yard side with a brick slope. It was a lot of work for a temporary fix, let me tell you. Meanwhile - I took out some attitude on a few Crepe Myrtles - uprooting the stinkers. <br /><br />Saturday, we used our new electric hedge trimmers. Andrew says they are wonderful! I picked all the really nasty weeds that were ruining the look of the front yard. So, our house, with all it's beautiful roses, is presentable for the moment. Andrew spray-painted X's on some sidewalk slabs in the front yard for removal, I swept the porches (for a huge improvement in curb appeal), and we moved almost everything left downstairs up to Andrew's room. I also moved things out of the upstairs entry and into the future boys' room. Andrew is fairly sore from all the pickaxing. He says he remembers hacking at asphalt with a sledgehammer as way less painful when he was 13. <br /><br />Final note of the day: we need to get some fairly comprehensive photos of the outside as thorough as we did of the inside - for 2 reasons: 1) we need to be able to prove our before/after and 2) we need photos so we can preview our color choices before we actually paint. I'll tell you this - the house will no longer be white and it will involve at LEAST 4 colors!Lindsay Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/111892769999249003921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2727717263597812412.post-14568455408647107952013-04-16T12:52:00.000-05:002016-03-29T15:24:39.649-05:00Welcome to Brass Peregrine!<h3>A blog dedicated to documenting the renovation of our beautiful Victorian home</h3>As manner of introduction, I'll start with a short biography of my wife and I.<br /><br />My name is Andrew. I grew up in Kansas in a sprawling pier-and-beam house; it was ugly, badly laid out, and wonderful. My parents (with help from myself and my siblings, as we grew older) renovated the entire building - not just paint and plaster, mind you, but moving entire kitchens, restoring wood floors, and even building on a complete addition in later years. I helped my dad with plumbing, my mom with gardening, and my siblings with staying out of trouble (ha!). I held up drywall as it was attached to the ceiling, helped lay shingles when we re-roofed, and crawled around under the house when we ran a new sewer line. It was, all in all, an experience I wouldn't trade for the world.<br /><br />My wife, Lindsay, grew up in a few different houses; her dad, like mine, liked to work with his hands. Lindsay wasn't as involved as I, perhaps, but she experienced first hand what it was to make a house your own. She can't stand to visit her old neighborhood because of how the house looks today. She lived in Ohio, in a city where the average age of homes in the area was older than the average age of the inhabitants by a few decades, and gained a fondness for older homes. We met in college, got married, and now have two wonderful boys that keep us on our toes every waking moment, and quite a few sleeping moments as well.<br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br />But that's our family; what about our house?<br /><h2>Our House</h2>As I mentioned, I'm rather fond of building things, and Lindsay quite likes old houses. we share a common interest of Steampunk - an alternate reality, technology-infused Victorian era. Victorian with a hint of fantasy, if you would. Actually owning a true Victorian house would be a dream come true, but when we started looking for a bigger home, we never thought our dream would be realized so quickly!<br /><br />Our new home had been on the market a while, but was in remarkably good condition; dusty, peeling paint, and a missing shingle or two, to be sure, but those are easy to fix. The outside looks majestic, if a little worn, but the inside...! There are a few little things here and there, but it we wanted, all we'd really need to do is get the floors cleaned, and move right in!<br /><br />Of course, that's not how we roll. Instead, we're going to be doing extensive renovation. The upstairs could use some work, and the kitchen is hideous (who puts linoleum on the wall!?!), and the master bathroom... oh, the humanity! Linoleum like that was banned by the Geneva convention as crime against humanity!<br /><br />I will post many, many pictures as time progresses; for now, the focus of our efforts are on actually moving in, though the real renovation will start soon enough. The first thing I need to do is to write a list of the first things I need to do once I've first written the list of first things to do.<br /><h2>A brief history</h2><img alt="Our new home" border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CQi98AuiaV8/UW2L-hWKgVI/AAAAAAAAAMM/DGtaN67582A/s320/house.jpg" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;" title="Our new home" width="240" /><br />The house was built in 1885 by a man named B. F. Lewis and his wife, E. A. Lewis. In 1905, they sold the house to James Knox Bivins, a lumberman and Confederate veteran. He presented the house to his wife Viola (Cobb) Bivins as a gift. Viola is also known for starting the Red Cross chapter in Longview. The couple raised four kids in the house (for which, I interject, there was and is plenty of room!).<br /><br />In 1941, Viola used an inheritance from her father to update the house, adding a kitchen.<br />The house is among the last Victorian homes in Longview.<br /><br style="clear: left;" />And for you architectural enthusiasts out there, a technical description:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">The structure exhibits mixed folk Victorian elements with cornice returns, spindlework porch balusters and decorative porch post brackets. A simple folk form with Queen Anne accents, the design remains largely intact.</blockquote><br />The home was recorded as a Texas Historical Landmark in 1999.Andrew Metzgerhttps://plus.google.com/110143789331717115036noreply@blogger.com3